Fire and Ice
by DreamyLoner
Summary: What happens when the psychopath's son meets the superhero's daughter? Flippy's and Flaky's son, Frankie, is recently trying hard to get along with Splendid's daughter, Splendia. Meanwhile, Cuddles' and Giggles' son, Snuggles, has a huge, secret crush on Flippy's daughter, Fannie. What can be worst than growing up as adolescents? Oneshot Collection! Humanized.
1. Just Be Friends- Solitude

**Theme: **Just Be Friends- Solitude

**Main characters: **Frankie (Flippy's and Flaky's son), Splendia (Splendid's daughter)

**Other characters: **Flippy, Flaky, Splendid, Fannie (Frankie's twin sister)

**Summary: **It's always hard growing up as a psychopath's son. It's even harder to grow up as a hero's daughter. When Frankie encounters Splendia, he thinks she is the most annoying girl in the world. After his futile attempts to murder her, he begins to understand the reason why she is so keen on him.

**Disclaimer: **Flippy, Flaky, Splendid all belong to Mondo Media.

* * *

"Frankie~" A familiar husky voice shrieked, making the red-haired boy leap in panic.

_No, not again. Damn it_. He cursed in his mind, already scooting away as fast as possible. But still, she caught him. With all her might, the bluenette bounced towards him, exerting her entire weight onto his body. He could barely maintain his own balance as she clung onto his chest.

"Knock it off, Splendia." He growled, annoyed. The girl was new to his school. At first, he did think this adorable girl was rather enticing but soon enough, he realized it was much better to keep his distance from her. Bothersome, mischievous and arrogant, she possesses all the features he absolutely loathes. And he regretted having talked to her because ever since they met, she had been stalking him.

Nobody wants to be around him as often as she does. Everyone recognizes him as the war veteran's son. His father is a psychopath diagnosed with severe Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and unfortunately enough, even if he hasn't inherited his sickness, the boy himself is a patient of dissociative identity disorder. He thought his split personality might scare her away but it didn't. In fact, she didn't even get a bruise when he attempted to slaughter her. It turned out she's the superhero's daughter. Her abnormal supernatural powers completely suppress his killing spree. There's simply no alternate way to get rid of her.

"Oh, Frankie, I've been trying to find you for the past few hours!" Splendia pouted, wrapping her arms around his neck. Utterly irritated by this uncomfortable intimacy, he was set off. Narrowing his emerald eyes, he shoved her away swiftly.

"Hey, what's that for?" The girl snorted, hands on her hips. She stared at his flickering yellow eyes, not taking the slightest hint that he had flipped out.

"FUCK OFF, BITCH." The boy bellowed and started walking off.

"B-But we're friends, aren't we?" Splendia protested, seizing his arm relentlessly. He tried to shake her off but her incredible strength was another thing. He sighed. He had used everything he could against her and nothing worked. When she first infuriated him, he attacked her with a razor but she crunched the blade with two bare fingers. Similarly, bowie knife and daggers didn't work on her. Later, he tried to deal with her with tons of guns- military guns, machine guns, hand guns…everything. He shot her but she crushed all the bullets with her palms. Eventually, he returned to school one day with a grenade he stole from his dad and blew up the entire classroom but she managed to flee by flying. He actually got suspended for a week and his parents were beyond furious. He could still remember his father's intimidating expression after he got a call from the principal complaining how his son had basically destroyed half of the school building with an explosion.

Then, common sense got the best of Frankie. He just figured out the best way to handle girls was to seek help from another girl! So, he approached his twin sister, Fannie. Well…needless to say, her advice was useless. Splendia was practically unavoidable and invincible. Her presence was beginning to suffocate him. He couldn't fathom why she was so interested in him. She just wouldn't hang out with someone else.

"Look, Frankie, I bought this yesterday. Isn't it beautiful?" She chuckled, showing him her new hair clip.

"Just…why won't you leave me alone?" The redhead asked nonchalantly. The girl blinked at him with one of her confused, innocent looks. She still couldn't comprehend why he was so mad. She was just trying to please him.

"You want me to leave you alone?" Splendia loosened her grip around his hand and tumbled backwards.

"Yes, please."

"B-But why?"

"For God's sake, don't fucking ask why." The boy bawled fiercely. "You've been following me around for two whole weeks! Damn it! I want to be on my own and you just won't stop talking and talking and talking! You're fucking annoying, you know that? I've never seen girls like you before! If you consider me as your friend, then, do me a favor, don't fucking go near me again! You're the first girl I've ever wanted to kill so much in my life!"

The boy gasped, overwhelmed by his own words. He didn't actually believe he could blurt out his sentiments so boldly. He was expecting some dire consequences but the girl didn't budge. He thought she would at least get livid and kick his ass upon hearing his insults, but she didn't either. Instead, she just stood there, her eyes blankly fixated on his. Sensing her glance, he instinctively glowered back at her, finally noticing the flower hair clip. It matched well with her wavy blue hair, which she tied in a cute ponytail. Her enormous crystal eyes were sparkling and he could almost see his own reflection through her orbs.

"O-Oh…O-Okay." The disappointed girl nodded. He hated to admit but he was stabbed by a sense of guilt after seeing her twisted, doleful face. He balled his hands into fists and took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you for so long." Splendia muttered. "I didn't know you hate me so much…all the fighting…I thought they were games."

"Games?" Frankie nearly dropped his jaws. No wonder why she was giggling every time he tried to kill her! So, she actually reckoned those weapons were toys! How insane…

"Y-Yes…" She smirked and then…a stream of tears escaped her eyes. "Never mind. I'm so dumb. Haha….well, good bye, Frankie."

She waved at him and scurried away. The boy watched in astonishment as her figure drifted farther away from his sight.

* * *

"Fr-Frankie, you still haven't touched your food." Flaky grumbled.

The boy remained speechless. He loured at the spaghetti on his plate, whirling his fork with a grunt. Oddly, he had not any appetite for dinner today. His twin sister nudged him a little and he finally looked up.

"What's wrong, son, you look rather distressed." Flippy asked with concern.

"N-Nothing." Frankie faked a smile and took a sip of water.

"Let me guess, it's Splendia again! Right?" Fannie sneered.

"Shut up." The redhead shot his sister a baleful glare but it didn't stop her from laughing.

"W-What happened?" Flaky inquired anxiously.

"Yea, what happened?" Flippy said with a playful tone. Everyone was ogling the boy, waiting patiently for an answer.

Succumbing to his family's pressure, Frankie unraveled what had happened between him and Splendia. At first, nobody dared make a comment. They all shrugged and raised their brows in bewilderment.

Then, breaking off the silence, Flaky asked. "Frankie, did you flip out again?"

"I can't help it." Frankie said. "She was annoying me and…well…the next thing I knew I scolded her and she left."

"Well, you're so mean." Fannie scowled. "Why on earth would you hurt a girl like that?"

"Yea, I think she just wanted to be your friend." Flippy added.

"But she's so freaking…"

"Frankie." Flaky interrupted. "Fannie is right…There's no way to treat a girl like that…As far as I know, Splendia doesn't seem to have many friends. Her mother left her when she was only a child…and I heard from Splendid that she's always been a lonely girl. I think she just wants to hang out with you. That's a-all."

"So it's my fault?"

"I won't say it's all your fault, son, but think about it." Flippy smiled. "She knows you're mentally sick but she doesn't avoid and judge you like other people do. Maybe you should try to figure out why she's so keen on befriending you. There must be a reason, right?"

"Well, she has supernatural powers so why should she be scared of me? I couldn't even kill her!"

"I-I think we aren't getting anywhere." Flaky sighed. "Frankie, listen to your dad and think carefully tonight. Think about wh-what you've done and what you should do later."

"Fine." The boy flopped back in his chair. He couldn't understand why his family was defending Splendia. After all, she had been his misery for the past few weeks. She, of course, was totally ignorant of his feelings. If she deemed his attacks on her were merely games, she might as well regard his rudeness as flirtatious. She's crazy, anyway. Just as crazy as he is.

Frankie rolled on his bed uneasily, trying his best to sleep but whenever he shut his eyes, the bluenette's face emerged in his head. Why did he keep recalling her crying face? And why was he blamed for getting rid of her? He just couldn't grasp the sense of it. It's true he was reckless. He had never been so mean to a girl before and obviously, he had never hated someone to a point he wished to kill her. Still, he felt queer after criticizing her. He could picture her running home and complaining to her father. The next day, the superhero might even appear at the school gate and punish the boy for good. Frankie didn't care though. If only he could get away with this insomnia and this awful feeling in his heart...It's not like he didn't want her as his friend in the first place but she clearly overdid things. She was too enthusiastic, too chatty, too annoying…He would be fine if she had stayed mute. He wouldn't have flipped on her then.

Frankie got his anticipation right. The superhero was standing outside the school gate waiting for him the next morning. He wasn't in his usual superhero attire though. He was wearing a suit and a pair of glasses, apparently ready to head off for work.

When Splendid spotted the young boy, he smiled and gestured him to come over. Frankie rolled his eyes and prayed for things to be okay. He couldn't imagine what this man would do to him after knowing he had verbally humiliated his daughter.

"Good morning, Frankie." Splendid greeted him.

"Good morning, sir…" Frankie trailed off, his heart pounding fast.

"Just call me Splendid." The man patted his shoulder and said. "I want to have a word with you."

"Yea, sure…" The boy followed Splendid obediently. They stopped in one empty corner.

"Well, I see something's happened between you and Splendia."

"Yes, sir, no, I mean, Splendid." The boy shakily looked up at the stalwart man standing before him.

"It's okay." Splendid smiled. "She didn't say anything but I caught her rather depressed yesterday. Did she piss you off?"

"Um…no…not exactly…" The boy shook his head, his face reddening.

"This child is only talkative when she's around someone she feels comfortable with. She never has more than one or two friends. And I must say she's particularly fond of you. I know it's harsh for you and I won't force you to actually befriend her if you don't want to. But say, I just want you to spare some time, just some, a minute or a second would be fine, to try to understand her. It's always hard growing up as someone unusual. She never fancies her powers, in fact. She got difficult time making friends in elementary school so she seldom used her powers. But when she met you, she told me you loved playing exciting games with her and she's no longer afraid to expose her abilities in front of someone. She was happy when you tried to battle with her. I guess this child does have an aggressive mind but no one in the town can stand her inhuman qualities. That's why she's never got any companions."

"But I…" Frankie tried to explain he wasn't aiming for a game but he swallowed his words.

"She's a weird girl, I know." Splendid winked at him. "And I don't blame you. Just try to understand her and take her role for one moment."

* * *

Frankie strolled along the street, jamming his hands into his pockets glumly. Knowing Splendia was absent from school somehow plunged him into greater remorse. He thought he could do with a simple apology but if she wasn't even present, how could he make it up to her? She did naively think he wanted her as a friend. All the duels, explosions and killing attempts were just mere games to her. She had never viewed them as deliberate threats. He had to say she was foolish, but again, he was guilty.

"Holy crap, did you see that? That girl is freaking scary." Someone exclaimed.

Frankie averted his eyes to a throng of youngsters gathering outside a store.

"I saw it. She beat up ten gangsters in one go and saved the child but she scared the hell out of me." A girl growled.

"Yea, I heard she's the superhero's daughter." Another boy piped up. "Man, that superhero sucks! He's never good at saving people! Gosh, I'm not going near her. What if she breaks my limbs by accident? Jesus Christ, just imagine a girl with monstrous strength and laser eyes, she's going to wreck your life!"

The teens then burst into laughter. Enraged, the redhead was about to approach them when someone slightly tugged his sweater. The youngsters peeped at Frankie and whispered something to each other before evading the scene. Frankie turned around to see who was clutching his shirt.

"Hello, Frankie." Splendia said with a goofy smile, blood spraying all over her face. "Going home?"

"Geez, what the hell happened to you?" The redhead asked, pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket. People passing by took a brief glimpse of them and started walking away hastily, leaving the two in awe.

"Don't worry. I'll be okay." The bluenette tittered optimistically and wiped away the blood stains. "Catch you later."

She turned away quickly to hide her tears but the boy grabbed her hand and stopped her in time. "Wait."

She spun around and stared at him incredulously.

"Can we sit down and talk?"

The girl paused for a minute and nodded. They ambled down the road and reached the park, finally settling on a bench.

"You heard them, didn't you?" Frankie asked, apparently making references to those teens' conversation.

"Yes." Splendia replied casually with a vague grin. "Got used to that anyway…haha"

"Just ignore them. If they can't appreciate your efforts, the least they can do is gossip."

"It's okay…I get those remarks a lot. I know my dad sucks at saving people but I won't blame him for that. At least, he keeps trying and he'll always be my hero…I guess it's sort of challenging for a girl to be a hero after all…It just…doesn't fit…Girls are supposed to stay meek. They don't fight…"

"That's not true!" Frankie argued. "I think you've got amazing powers. My dad wasn't a good soldier either! Mom told me that he sucked at killing when he first entered the military."

"R-Really?" The bluenette cocked her brows, somewhat bemused.

"Yes." The boy nodded. "And I'm sorry I was rude to you yesterday. I just…couldn't control myself. I didn't know you wanted to befriend me that much…"

"It's alright…"Splendia cooed, looking down at the ground. "I didn't actually ask for a friend. But you're different…"

"Different?"

"Yes." The girl blushed, twiddling her fingers sheepishly. "They say you have a split personality and your dad is a war veteran. I thought since both of our dads are so-called heroes, perhaps we might have something in common…and well, when I first saw you, I knew you felt as left out as I was…We were both…kind of… alienated by others. But soon, I realized you don't have many friends because you don't bother to make any. You are simply happy on your own. Even if you're struggling with your problems, you always seem to see the positive side…and…I couldn't understand why because I've lived all my life in solitude and I don't like it. Life is so bleak for me. There were times I was dying just to get one friend. And you…you never bothered with these things..."

"Erm…" The redhead scratched his head hesitantly, not knowing how to make the best response. "Actually, I'm happy simply because I've got my family to love. It's just the same way as you love your dad. And…I never think it's a problem to be a loner. It doesn't mean I don't need any friends. What I mean is…I would be fine with one or two acquaintances."

"Oh…sorry...I must probably have altered your mind…" The girl mumbled, her expression sinking at once. "After I've pestered you so many times, I guess...You seriously don't want any friends right now, right?"

"Splendia, were you trying to impress me?" Frankie asked bluntly.

"W-What?" All at once, the girl flushed with embarrassment.

"I thought you were being all talkative and girlish because you wanted to impress me." The boy snickered. "You know, I must admit it sort of flatters me a bit, but you don't really have to do that in order to get my attention. I saw you when you first transferred to our class. And you always have that kind of unspeakable aura with you, to be honest."

"W-Well…" The girl flushed and cringed bashfully. "At some point…yes…I was just trying to fawn over you or something...I just didn't know it would turn out like this though…I had little experience in making new friends so it's definitely my bad…"

"Don't say that." The redhead smiled. "You don't have to do anything to impress someone. Just be yourself."

"O-Okay…" The bluenetten nodded submissively.

"And I apologize for trying to kill you."

"Um… I didn't actually see it that way. Your alter-ego is really intriguing." The girl giggled. "Perhaps I should just call him Frank."

This time, it was the redhead's turn to blush. He didn't know his evil counterpart would actually appeal to someone.

"So, are we still friends?" The girl asked timidly.

"Yes, sure." Frankie smiled and she smiled back.

* * *

_He is glad he has tried to understand her._

_After all, they were both born to be extraordinary._

_If the superhero's daughter is craving that much for a friend, then, the psychopath's son might as well grant her wish._

_For once._


	2. Just Be Friends- Courage

**Theme: **Just Be Friends- Courage

**Main characters: **Snuggles (Cuddles' and Giggles' son), Fannie (Flippy's and Flaky's daughter), Frankie (Fannie's twin brother)

**Other characters: **Flippy, Petunia, Leon (Fannie's ex-boyfriend)

**Summary: **Growing up as a wimpish boy, Snuggles can hardly do what he really wants. He is likely the one being bossed around and the center of school bullies. When he begins to have a huge crush on Fannie, he might as well find back his long-lost courage.

* * *

Snuggles cautiously tiptoed and sneaked behind one bookshelf, careful not to make any tapping noise. Gingerly, he removed one thick book from the shelf and peeked through the hole, staring directly at the green-haired girl. Her beautiful long hair was neatly combed, hanging down on one side of her shoulders. She sat in tranquility reading her favorite romantic novel. Her ruby limpid eyes fluttered as she scanned through each line of the literature. Her pose was graceful enough, with one hand cupping her chin. Even her manner of flipping the pages was elegant. Her presence shined in the serene, nearly vacant library.

The blonde boy gulped at the sight of his crush. He has recently come to realize the best way to observe her was in the library, a place she often frequented. Her father works as a librarian there. He's a well-known retired war sergeant called Flippy and people say he has severe PTSD. Snuggles' parents are Flippy's lifelong friends. Yet, Snuggles has only seen the girl several times since childhood. Her father, despite his mental illness, looked friendly enough as he just waved at Snuggles with a smile. The boy noticed she has taken after her father's beautiful features. In this cursed town, nobody actually ages and the similarity is even more obvious when she stands next to the handsome war veteran.

Snuggles is completely mesmerized, not merely by her attractiveness but by her kind heart. He has seen her volunteer a lot and help out with the poor kids. She is somewhat timid and introverted. Such personality has been proved to emanate from her mother. Nonetheless, he still likes her. He has been yearning for a chance to speak to her properly. He wouldn't dream of asking her out, for he doubted if he is ever any matches to her. She's far too striking and perfect to date someone like him. It's not that he's ugly or anything but he lacks manly features, which girls of their age usually crave for. Taking after his own father's characteristics, Snuggles has grown up to be a typical bunny boy. Cute, gorgeous but nothing more. People always mistake him for a girl and he has lately got so irritated by his classmates calling him "sissy". Well, he isn't sissy! He can be brave, only sometimes though and behave like a man, but he just doesn't look like one. Maybe something would change in a few years' time. But he's already sixteen and he still hasn't got rid of his unbroken voice.

He continued watching her, simply oblivious to the fact that the girl's father was standing right next to him. Flippy made a funny cough and it startled the poor boy to a point he leapt in panic.

"Sorry, son, but are you searching for something?" Flippy asked.

"N-No…not really." Snuggles stammered.

"Oh, I saw you looking rather puzzled." Flippy smirked. Pulling a cart of books beside him, he started arranging books onto the shelf. Snuggles breathed a sigh of relief realizing his secret plan hadn't been discovered. If Flippy knew he was stalking his daughter, God knows what he might say or do.

"So, are your parents doing fine?" Flippy asked.

"They're doing well." Snuggles replied with a faint smile.

"Cool, Flaky and I always want to hold a small reunion. You know, some sort of gathering but we never get to compromise on a perfect date. Timing sucks when you become adults and have to work every day."

"I-I guess so." The boy nodded in agreement. He isn't really in a rush to grow up. As far as he knows, he looks as immature as can be.

"Oh by the way, Fannie's over there." Flippy gestured towards his daughter. "Maybe you two can share something about reading. You like reading, don't you? I see you come regularly. Fannie loves reading too! And just like her mother, she's so into romance stuff. Haha, girls are like that. I bet you like something else, right?"

"Um…" Snuggles scratched his head uneasily. "I'm okay with romance. I took a few courses on Literature last year."

"Really? I did too!" The sudden interruption surprised Snuggles. He turned abruptly to meet a pair of sparkling scarlet eyes. _Oh God, it's her!_ He blushed immediately and staggered backwards.

"Fannie, you're too loud." Flippy made a "sh" sign. Fannie shrugged with an apologetic look. "Sorry, dad."

"You're Snuggles, right?" Fannie asked, slipping her novel back onto the shelf. The boy was beyond delighted to know she remembered his name. "I think I saw you back in one of those Shakespeare courses but you didn't talk much. Are you good at Literature? You seem very smart."

_"Oh! She thinks I'm smart?"_ He couldn't help but giggle in his own mind. He couldn't believe he had made such a positive impression on her.

"Well, it's about time you should go home or your mom is gonna bug you." Flippy chuckled.

"Yea, you're right." Fannie rolled her eyes and headed back to take her bag. With one swing, her bag clung onto her left shoulder.

"Are you leaving?" It took Snuggles a minute to react. He nodded merrily.

"Let's walk home together?" Fannie suggested.

"S-Sure." He hated being so wimpy but he couldn't control himself. After all, he was basically confronting his love crush. She probably didn't know it. They had barely interacted twice during lessons before. He never got the chance to sit near her. Apparently, she used to be popular among boys but ever since her twin, Frankie, flipped out for the first time and started getting overprotective of her, many boys fled. With his rivals gone, Snuggles saw his opportunity approaching. He began to stalk her in every possible way without anybody's knowing, not even her possessive twin brother. He wasn't sure if he could get along with Frankie so he wasn't going to take that risk. About two weeks ago, Snuggles started his plan. He studied Fannie's routines and behavior, checking her class schedules and timetables. He recorded everything down in his head. Well, he should thank God he succeeded. He was able to get into three same classes with her, though he still hadn't communicated with her much. He would sit near her during lunch but was too afraid to go up and eat with her directly. Lately, he found out her hiding place- the library. It's the only place where she would be alone. Her twin doesn't fancy reading much. He has sports clubs to attend after school so he always leaves Fannie on her own. Although her father is present in the library, Snuggles feels much more comfortable with Flippy than with Frankie.

The two of them ambled across the street. Fannie was humming a song. Snuggles took a glimpse of her, noticing she was in a rather good mood. Sensing Snuggles' glance, Fannie shot him a curious look. The boy turned away and flushed immediately.

"Um…do you want to say something?" Fannie inquired. She could feel him peeping at her every now and then as though he was keeping something in mind. If he hadn't been staring at her for a whole minute, she wouldn't really ask him so bluntly.

"N-No…" Snuggles shook his hand, trying hard to hide his aflame face.

"Oh, never mind then." Fannie scoffed.

They remained speechless for a while. Snuggles knew he had to bring up some topic but plenty of butterflies were swirling in his stomach. He felt awkward and embarrassed. But Fannie didn't seem too bothered by the silence between them.

"So," Finally, he gathered his courage and spoke up. "Fannie, you like reading?"

_"__Gosh, what a silly question! Of course she likes reading! Otherwise, she wouldn't be in the library every day!" _Snuggles thought, face-palming himself.

Fannie raised her brows and sneered. "Yea, isn't it obvious?"

"Er…yea. Sorry." Snuggles said with a goofy grin, completely disappointed at his stupidity.

"I see we are in the same Literature class. Maybe we can sit together some time?" Fannie asked, causing the boy's heart to skip a beat.

"I mean, of course, if you have to stay with your own friends, it's fine." Fannie tittered. "I just thought I might need some help on certain stuff."

"N-No, well…I mean…yes…" Snuggles answered nervously. "I can sit with you and help out. B-But I'm not so sure I am that capable myself. I'm still struggling with the last chapter."

"That's alright. Me too!" Fannie laughed. Her laugh was so adorable that it almost drowned Snuggles for a moment. He simply couldn't take his eyes off her. He was glad she felt comfortable chatting with him. It was such a state of bliss he was finally able to catch her attention.

"Fannie!" A hoarse voice yelled. The two turned around as Frankie crossed the road and ran towards them.

"Oh, hello, Frankie." Fannie smirked at her twin, who was still puffing from the running. "I didn't know you finished soccer that early."

"Well, the coach's sick today. We didn't actually get to play." Frankie said and then eyed Snuggles.

Snuggles tensed up with a twitch, feeling the male's intimidating glare.

"And this is?" Frankie interrogated, scowling at Snuggles.

"Oh, he's Snuggles." Fannie introduced. "Remember uncle Cuddles and aunt Giggles? He's their son."

"Really." Frankie's expression eased a little and a grin spread across his face. "I see. My bad. I didn't remember you. But I do think I saw you a few times…at our birthday party."

"Yea." Snuggles nodded.

They came to the crossroads, where Snuggles had to take a different path. He didn't want his moment with Fannie to end but it was harder for them to converse with Frankie's presence.

"So, see you tomorrow at school, Snuggles." Fannie waved gleefully at him.

"S-Sure." Snuggles smiled, his heart filled with warmth.

* * *

The chiming bells snapped Snuggles out of his mediation. He blinked blankly at his locker. It took him a moment to remember what he intended to do. Oh, yes, he was waiting for Fannie. He looked at his watch. A quarter to eight. She would be arriving at any second. Even just for a swift while, he wished to walk her to the classroom. Stupid, huh? But that's how it goes when he has a crush on someone. A very tiny matter is enough to drive him crazy.

Someone patted on his back and to his dismay, it wasn't Fannie but one of those hateful bullies. "What's up, sissy." The boy snickered. Gritting his teeth in rage, Snuggles wanted to retort but before he could do so, the bully had already attacked him. He shoved him against the lockers, letting out a loud creaky noise.

"What do you wanna say, crybaby?" The notorious boy mocked. Some people began to stop and watch. Snuggles retaliated by kicking him off. "Fuck off, faggot."

The bully widened his eyes in amazement. He grabbed Snuggles' collar and pinned him against the wall, howling in a threatening tone. "Say it again."

Tears stung Snuggles' eyes. He was both frightened and exasperated. He balled his hands into fists and glowered at his attacker fiercely.

"F-Faggot…" His voice trembled as he repeated the remark.

The next thing Snuggles knew, he was being punched forcefully. He yelped in pain and hugged his stomach. He seized his enemy's shirt and pulled him down. The two rolled on the ground and fought in chaos, attracting great attention from various schoolmates. Snuggles, indeed, was nothing compared to his opponent. The big boy was far too strong. The wrestle lasted for a few minutes before someone finally interfered.

"Stop!" Snuggles gasped with blood spilling out of his mouth. He wiped the crimson liquid with his sleeves and looked up in terror. The bully loosened his grip around Snuggles' neck and stared at whoever that meddled in their fight.

"Snuggles, are you alright?" Fannie dashed to help Snuggles up.

"Well, well, well, what's going on here?" The bully taunted and crossed his arms, backing away. "So, Fannie, you're actually a friend of this sissy, huh?"

Fannie didn't answer him. She simply leered at him with disdain. To her astonishment, the bully was Leon, her ex-boyfriend and he was exactly the one who caused Frankie to flip out for the first time.

"Just stop it, Leon." Fannie demanded.

"Sure." Leon laughed. "I just don't know you're interested in this kind of girlish boys. Your quality drops, Fannie."

"Buck off or I'll bring Frankie here." Fannie threatened.

Leon ceased laughing at once and glared at Fannie sternly. Taken aback by her words, he recalled the scene of Frankie slaughtering him last time.

"Fine." Leon snorted, shooting Snuggles a nasty look. "You there, sissy bunny, you should be happy this sexy chick is sticking up for ya. And mind you, even if you aren't fucked up already, her brother is gonna screw you some day. Haha."

Snuggles watched as Leon stomped away. The crowd gradually evacuated after the commotion. Feeling utterly humiliated and helpless, a stream of tears escaped Snuggles' eyes. How much he wished he could have been stronger…and braver…

"Snuggles?" Fannie reached out her hands and shook him wearily. "Are you okay?"

Quickly, he cleared his throat and nodded. "Yea…"

"No, we must get you to the infirmary." Fannie said but Snuggles pushed her off gently.

"Huh?" She ogled him in confusion.

"Sorry, I can manage on my own." The least he could do, as Snuggles reckoned, was to retain the last dignity and egoism in front of the girl he liked. He couldn't imagine anything more horrendous than Fannie witnessing him getting beaten up. She must think he was such a useless freak… a defenseless wimp. Yes, he was a powerless bunny, a prey destined to be doomed in the wilderness.

"B-But…you're bleeding…"

Without responding to her, Snuggles shook away Fannie's hand and wandered off, plunging the girl into deeper perplexity.

* * *

Snuggles pushed open the glass door. A whirl of cool air tapped against his face, sending shivers down his spine. Reflexively, his hand rubbed against the large plaster that was attached to his cheek. He sighed in grief. After the incident in the morning, he had been feeling down for a while. He didn't quite expect himself to have acted so rude when Fannie was simply trying to offer help. He didn't even show his gratitude when she was practically his savior. If she hadn't shown up, he would have been beaten to death by Leon for calling him "faggot". Still, he couldn't deny the shameful fact that his crush had seen him involved in a fight. Fannie must be either thinking he was such a useless, dumb coward. Adding to these qualities, he was so vain that he rejected her assistance.

"Hello, son, what's up?" A man greeted him. Snuggles looked up and saw Flippy stamping some books with the returned date.

"O-Oh, hello…" Snuggles smiled sheepishly.

"Fannie isn't here." Flippy informed with a friendly smile. "She's helping her mom run errands today."

Snuggles flushed automatically upon hearing Flippy's words, wondering how he knew he was looking for Fannie. Did he just penetrate Snuggles' thoughts? Or worse, was he aware all this time that Snuggles was actually stalking Fannie?

The young boy shook the terrible assumption out of his mind. He couldn't imagine Flippy knowing he had a crush on Fannie. It would be too absurd, considering he had been visiting the library for the past two weeks and Flippy always looked as though Snuggles really came for reading.

Snuggles nictitated at the former soldier, searching for the right response. But Flippy was faster.

"Are you alright?" He asked, pointing at his plaster.

"Y-Yes, sir." Snuggles stuttered, taking a step forwards to the counter.

"Fighting isn't always the best option, young man." Flippy snickered. "But I must admit teens should act wild and free. If you want to find Fannie, she's at the grocery store across the street."

"H-How did you know…" Snuggles widened his eyes and trailed off.

Flippy laughed. "If there's one thing about you boy, it's your expression. It gives all the answers. Have you ever lied to anyone?"

"W-Well…n-not exactly sir…" Snuggles frowned, tugging the end of his jacket anxiously.

"I'm not surprised." Flippy grinned. "She isn't that hard to get along with, compared to her brother. You could have talked to her more naturally."

A fiery blush became visible on Snuggles' face as he felt his heart thumping. It was so embarrassing to initiate a chat with Flippy when he basically knew Snuggles was after his daughter.

"W-Well…sir, I have a question to ask…" Snuggles bit his lips and murmured.

"Go on."

"H-How did you become a-a brave soldier?"

"A brave soldier?" Flippy raised his brows, puzzled.

"Y-Yes…" Snuggles looked down at the ground, jamming his hands into his pocket.

"Are you planning to join the military?"

"N-No! I was…well…I just want to learn how to be braver and to fight…"

"So, you aren't brave enough, son?"

"N-No…"

"Listen," Flippy leaned forwards and said grimly. "I fight and kill but that doesn't mean I'm brave."

"W-Why?"

"Snuggles, bravery lies in the heart." Flippy placed his hand on his chest. "There are people who like picking on others but does that mean they are brave? Just because they are capable of hurting someone doesn't necessarily make them a stronger person. I joined the army myself. I went through all the crazy shit. I wasn't brave, to be honest. There were times I thought I was going to die. And even now, I can't say I'm fully brave. I'm constantly struggling with this stupid disorder I have, all thanks to the wars I've been to. Of course, I can fight and I'm skillful at killing but I'm scared at the same time. Before I finally learnt to control my persona, I was probably scared every second of my life. I was afraid I might kill the ones I loved."

"B-But…you've overcome that problem…you never kill your family…" Snuggles said.

"Yea, and that took me a great deal of time and effort." Flippy said. "So, son, my point is...bravery doesn't simply come from being able to fight. Some people just weren't born to be a fighter and what can you say about them? Should they be a wimp for the rest of their life? No…To me, bravery is all about accepting your own imperfections and protecting the ones you love. You see through your own trouble and you don't pretend you're okay with it. You deal with the problem. You go for something you want. You don't have to kill everyone in this world to prove you're brave. If you have the courage to do the right thing on your own and never regret, then that's your bravery."

"O-Oh…I see…" Snuggles nodded with a beam of delight.

"If you think something's right, go for it." Flippy urged. "Indecisiveness kills. And can you do me a favor?"

"Yes?"

Flippy bent down and slid his hand into the drawer.

"Here." He handed Snuggles a book. "That forgetful child left her favorite novel. I suppose you don't mind giving it back to her?"

"No, of course not!" Snuggles grinned confidently and took the book from Flippy's hands.

"Million thanks, son." The solider gave the boy a 'salute sign' and returned to his own work.

Snuggles scooted out of the library. He knew what he had to do. Flippy's words lingered in his head. He was actually overwhelmed by the soldier's sudden boldness but what he said hit Snuggles hard. The boy now realized why he had always been such a coward. In any situation, he had never been able to fight for what he wanted. He was too afraid to stand and speak up for himself. He had got so accustomed to letting go and hiding from problems that he never really succeeded in satisfying his own needs. When people threw prejudice at him, he simply budged and accepted his inferiority. He cringed in front of his own crush. So much talking about growing up and he was still acting as childish and feeble as could be.

Snuggles stopped at the road, waiting for the traffic lights to come green. His eyes roamed over the street before him, swiftly catching the sight of Fannie. She was rummaging through a wagon of vegetables outside the grocery store. Warily, she picked out the best-looking cabbage and wrapped it with a plastic bag. Snuggles watched as she went up to the cashier and paid. The saleswoman, who happened to be Petunia, mumbled something to Fannie, possibly a sweet compliment. The girl smiled shyly and nodded. The traffic light switched to a green flash. Already flooded with impatience, Snuggles tossed his skateboard on the ground and started moving. That was when it happened…

Fannie left the store and stepped onto the road. A sudden squeaking noise pierced the ears of many. Everyone shuddered in horror as they saw a blue truck running uncontrollably towards the crowd. The driver, needless to say, was the town's greatest accident-prone Lumpy. He lost grip of the wheel and sent the truck flying down the steep hill. Leaving a long track of braking marks, the truck flung itself down the road, smashing a couple of bicycles parking nearby and aiming straight at a thong of people. Among them, indeed, was a petrified Fannie. Snuggles' instinct forbid any further thought. The situation was far too imperative and if he permitted any hesitation, the only choice left would be to witness Fannie being hurled into the air and crashed into pieces. With one forceful push, he skated towards the girl, taking her into his arms. A rumbling sound could be heard as the vehicle struck a trade sign and a trash bin. Several pedestrians were trapped under the tires. Blood splattered everywhere. The gigantic machine was speeding only a meter in front of Fannie and Snuggles when he managed the shoved themselves out of its way. The two collapsed onto the ground, right at the footway of the grocery store. Petunia gaped incredulously at the two fortunate teens who had just escaped death. The truck went on for a few more miles before bumping into a concrete wall and exploding.

"Holy shit…" Everyone on the scene panicked and shrieked. The entire place was filled with pungent choking order emitted from the burns and the blood. Mangled corpses, maimed limbs, impaled torso and contorted heads all lay bare in sight. Despite making it out alive, some survivors fainted after seeing the terrifying view. Fannie clung to Snuggles and wailed. The boy swore there was a second he thought he would vomit as a mauled cranium swung across his eyes. Still, he held back the sickness and tried to be brave.

"Oh my god!" Petunia screeched, already hyperventilating at the sight of blood. She scrubbed her skin repeatedly until blood came squirting out of her flesh.

The street was in complete chaos. All the time people started freaking out and getting tangled in a mess, Snuggles held Fannie tightly to block her vision. He, himself, clenched his eyes and prayed. The ambulance soon arrived and injured citizens were being carried one by one to the hospital. Snuggles helped Fannie up, who was still trembling in trauma.

"A-Are you alright?" Snuggles asked apprehensively.

"Y-Yes…" Fannie stuttered, her eyes brimming with tears.

"Should I take you to the hospital?"

"No…No…" Fannie shook her head. "Let the people in real need get treated first…"

Gawking at the considerate girl, Snuggles couldn't help but hug her.

"S-Snuggles?"

"For a moment I thought you would die…" Snuggles gulped, no longer capable of concealing his fear. His body, too, was quivering.

"I'm scared, Snuggles." Fannie admitted and sobbed. "I…also thought I would die but then I saw you…You saved me…"

"I had to." Snuggles said. "I couldn't just let you die when I could reach you in a meter."

"But still…" Fannie pulled away from her friend and stared straight into his shimmering eyes. "I-It takes a lot of courage to do that…You know you could have died trying to save me…"

Snuggles widened his eyes in disbelief, partly because first, he just happened to do a really brave and selfless deed and second, Fannie's eyes were gleaming with immense gratitude and appreciation. His heart skipped a beat when she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.

"Thank you, Snuggles." She whispered.

"Here, Fannie." Snuggles grabbed a book out of his bag and gave it to Fannie. "You left it in the library. Your dad asked me to give it to you."

"Dad?"

"Yes…" Snuggles smiled.

"That's strange." Fannie shrugged. "I mean, I always forget to bring it home but dad never bothers with it. I would just go back to the library the next day."

"R-Really?" Snuggles' mouth gaped open. A ridiculous thought crossed his mind. Perhaps this was all just Flippy's trick. He made a fabulous excuse for Snuggles to go after his daughter. Still, the boy was glad he had come. Otherwise, his crush would have perished by now.

"Um…shall I walk you home?" Snuggles offered.

"S-Sure!" Merrily, Fannie slipped the book back into her own bag and took Snuggles' hand. At once, a reassured grin spread across the boy's face.

* * *

**How should I put this...I wrote this a few weeks ago and I feel that it's kind of too fluffy xD It's like I've gone back in time and was writing as a 14 years-old. This is probably what I would write as a middle-school girl, haha. Not really my style right now. A bit childish and dramatic, I will say (T.T) **

**I treat all these characters as kids because I feel that they are...So I'm hardly going to write anything mature about them. I have to retain their innocence here. After all, being a youngster is supposed to be all about friendship and happiness, right?!**

**Anyway, review and tell me what you think :P **


	3. Splendia's Secret

**Theme: **Splendia's Secret

**Main characters: **Frankie, Fannie, Splendia, Snuggles

**Summary: **Growing up as the superhero's daughter, there is a secret Splendia has never shared with anyone. Can Frankie, her best friend, learn the truth and help her escape from her dark, gloomy past?

* * *

Fannie's eyes roamed over the football pitch. The sky was getting darker but the crowd persisted on staying behind for the match. A thong of fan-girls was scampering on one side of the court, hopping up and down with rhythm. They were all screeching in glee and wielding their hands in the air, always ready to applaud. The deafening noise dazed Fannie a bit. Her eyes flickered to the center of the field, where two teams battled for the last forty minutes. Among the group, she spotted her twin brother, Frankie. The boy showed a surprised yet delighted look when he saw his sister. She seldom came to watch him play soccer.

"Go, bro!" Fannie yelled. Snuggles was standing next to her, giving the same very support to Frankie. The soccer player nodded with a wink and went back to concentrate on his near winning success.

"Hey, guys! Over here!" A familiar voice called out. Within seconds, Fannie caught sight of Splendia standing on the bench.

"Hey, Splendia!" Fannie and Snuggles dashed to meet their friend.

"Hello, Fannie, Snuggles." Splendia giggled. Her attire was rather special today. She had her azure long hair tied into a bun with a scarlet ribbon wrapped around it. A ruby flower clip stuck on her bangs. She was wearing a sporty top and a red skirt, revealing her long slender legs and a pair of sparkling sneakers.

"Oh my, wow, you look pretty, Splendia." Fannie exclaimed, amazed by how gorgeous Splendia looked.

"Really?" Splendia shrugged. "It's Frankie's big day. So…I thought I might as well come cheering for him."

Fannie and Snuggles exchanged a look, both chuckling.

"W-What? What's wrong?" Splendia asked anxiously.

"Nothing." Fannie scoffed and sat down on the bench. "I'm sure Frankie only notices you among all these cheering girls."

Immediately, Splendia blushed upon hearing Fannie's sarcastic compliment. She admitted she had put much effort into picking out an eye-catching outfit to cheer for Frankie. She even went to put on make-up this morning, which she had never done before. He had mentioned about this match being really important to him, so she didn't want to miss a chance to give him support. After all, he is her very first acquaintance and the only close friend she has in this school.

"Well, you two don't usually come to the stadium, do you?"

"No." Snuggles replied, taking a glimpse of Fannie. They often stay in the library after class but since it was Frankie's special invitation this time, they both came to watch the game.

"Nah, if I don't come, he'll be grumbling at home for the next few weeks." Fannie said, leaning against her seat.

"Yea, he will be." Splendia tittered. She knew Frankie takes his sister very seriously. A little bit of support from Fannie is enough to fuel him with the necessary motivation and energy to win. And she was right.

"Another score for the red team!" Someone bawled. A group of audience stood up and went wild in ecstasy. Splendia, Fannie and Snuggles all applauded as Frankie shot the goal without difficulty.

"Oh my god, he's really good!" A girl whispered.

"Yea, and he's so fucking cute." Another girl shrieked. "If he doesn't have that split personality, I'm definitely going after him!"

"But you're already after him!"

Overhearing the conversation, Splendia and her friends chortled. They could already picture Frankie's annoyed expression when he realized a bunch of fan-girls were courting him.

_"I don't care who else come to watch my match." Frankie had told Splendia. "But you, Fannie and Snuggles must show up."_

Surely, Frankie is someone who only cares about certain people, those who he considers as friends. People outside this zone could never affect him, whether they like or despise him. He is somewhat a boy living in his own world, which Splendia absolutely admires. She, in contrast, is the kind that never gets over people's prejudice. Her inferiority first stems from her unprofessional superhero father, then from the time when her mother abandoned the family and left. Her inability to master her supernatural powers competently is another problem. However, ever since she met Frankie, Fannie and Snuggles, her life seems to have become less lonely. She is glad to have found some new friends in her social circle which was practically a wreck in the very beginning.

The teams parted to take a short break. Frankie jogged towards his twin and his friends. Splendia handed him a towel and a bottle of water.

"Thanks." Frankie smiled as he received the energy booster. "So, what brought you here, my dear sister?" He asked raising his brows. "I thought you would be having your little afternoon date inside the library."

"What?" Fannie widened her eyes. A crimson blush soon became visible on Snuggles' face. "Who told you Snuggles and I are dating?!"

"Well well well, you know me." Frankie smirked. "I'm pretty nosy and Dad's such a big-mouth."

"ERRRRRR, I should have known." Fannie face-palmed, suddenly remembering her father is the librarian. He is basically aware of every single interaction she has with Snuggles in the library.

"Y-You aren't gonna kill me…right?" Snuggles staggered backwards in fear.

"Me? Killing you? Ha, why?" Frankie asked in a playful tone.

"Because Fannie told me you killed her ex-boyfriend…" Snuggles sneaked behind Fannie, who laughed at her mate's cowardice.

"Geez, Fannie, is this boy a weakling?" Frankie crossed his arms.

"Come out, Snuggles, he isn't going to kill you." Fannie sneered, pulling Snuggles out from behind her back.

"I killed Leon because he was such a bastard. I don't kill random people, dude." Frankie said. "And yes, I'm most definitely against Fannie dating but, gosh, you look so pathetic that for once I think if I don't allow you to date Fannie you might go commit suicide!"

"What?" Snuggles couldn't believe he gave Frankie such an impression. Offended, he scowled in frustration.

"Just kidding." Frankie said, patting on Snuggles' shoulder. "But if you ever make my sister cry, you're gonna pay for it, clear?"

"Y-Yes!" Snuggles jumped and snuggled behind Fannie again. The two girls burst into laughter.

"Snuggles, didn't you save Fannie back in the car accident last week?" Splendia asked. "You should be pretty brave to do that."

"Well…" Flushing, Snuggles popped out from behind Fannie and fiddled with his fingers.

"I think it took him a month to practise that." Frankie mocked.

"Hey!" Snuggles retorted. "I wasn't as weak as you think I am."

"Sure, I should be relieved to hear that." Frankie taunted, eyeing Fannie.

Fannie dragged her twin to one corner and shoved him to the wall.

"What now?"

"Stop teasing Snuggles, will ya?" Fannie frowned.

"Okay, but he's so…"

"Shut up." Fannie stuck out her tongue and made a grimace. "He's cute and he's Uncle Cuddles' son. It's rude to laugh at him like that or are you just jealous I'm now dating?"

"Jeaous? Why should I be? Haha."

"Because you haven't got Splendia yet."

Frankie ceased laughing and stared at Fannie with an agape mouth. The girl simpered realizing she had hit the weak spot of his brother. He was blushing immensely by now.

"It's none of your business."

"Well then, you shouldn't interfere with my relationship with Snuggles either." Fannie grinned slyly.

"Fine! Got to go." Frankie, still with his aflame face, trotted back to the field.

The match proceeded for another thirty minutes. The yellow team was completely nothing compared to the red team in which Frankie played for. Undoubtedly, Frankie got his team the champion. Splendia almost cried her lungs out in happiness. Fannie and Snuggles were the same, feeling much contented and proud of Frankie's superb performances. People might judge him as a psychopath's son but they couldn't deny he is a brilliant sports player. His enthusiasm in outdoor activities seems to have emanate from Flaky. Conversely, Fannie's preference of reading is another remarkable feature of Flippy. Fannie strode towards her twin and hugged him. The trophy shimmered in the court. Everyone was jittering with joy. Some were whistling and some were already heading for celebration.

"This is so awesome." Snuggles commented.

"Yea, you did well, Frankie!" Splendia praised. She was taken aback when Frankie withdrew from Fannie's embrace and cuddled her.

"Thanks for coming, girls." Frankie cooed and peeked at Snuggles. "And you as well, Snuggles."

"That's what we're supposed to do. We show support to our friends, don't we?" Snuggles said.

"Of course." Splendia and Fannie nodded in agreement.

After a fabulous dinner, the four youngsters were finally ready to go home.

"Hey, what do you say about going for a drink?" Frankie said, already half-drunk from the mojito he had back in Disco Bear's restaurant. He is a terrible drinker.

"Cool!" Snuggles thumbed up for Frankie's idea but he was also losing balance due to drunkedness.

"Pfft…guys, you've only had mojito and you're already...Ouch!" Fannie grunted as Snuggles carelessly lost balance and bumped onto her.

"I…want mid-night s-snack!" Frankie snorted, his arm wrapped around Splendia's shoulder. Lucky she is a girl with super strength or both of them would have slammed their face onto the ground long ago.

"Yea, yea, mid-night…"

Before the boys could continue rambling, Splendia suddenly stopped, causing Frankie to limp forwards and fall.

"What're you stopping f-for…damn it." Frankie lifted himself up again, complaining about the pain.

"Sorry, guys, I can't go with you for mid-night snacks." Splendia said with guilt. "I still have something to do."

"But…hey, where are you going, Splendia?" Fannie shouted, attempting to stop her but Splendia had already scooted away.

"Damn girl, letting me hit my head like that…" Frankie growled. Fannie and Snuggles both backed away as they knew Frankie had flipped out.

"F-Frankie…?" Fannie hissed. Frankie shot her an irritated look. "Where did she go?"

"She said she has…" Snuggles stammered.

"Where did she go!" Frankie howled. "WE AREN'T DONE WITH OUR CELEBRATION YET!"

"She went that way…" Snuggles gulped and gestured to the direction in which Splendia ran away.

"I'm gonna get her back. Wait here." Frankie said and left in a blink of an eye, leaving Fannie and Snuggles in bewilderment.

"I think he likes her." Snuggles muttered, his eyes fixated on the dark alleyway.

"Yea, isn't it too obvious?" Fannie whispered. "He's running after Splendia the same way my dad runs after my mom. When he flips out."

"Really?"

"Yup." Fannie chuckled. "Flipped out psychopath likes chasing people and playing hide-and-seek, you know."

Splendia stopped at the Bakery, astonished to see Mole switching off the lights and drawing the curtains. Without second thought, she flew towards the shop and pushed open the door.

"Wait!" She said. Mole twitched and turned his head to Splendia.

"The shop is closed."

"No, please, I want to place an order. Please, just one order!" Splendia pleaded. Just then, Frankie arrived as well but his presence was obscured by the glass window outside.

"Everything's sold out, dear." Mole informed. He pulled out his walking cane and started heading for the door. "Come back tomorrow morning at nine."

"B-But…but…" Splendia whimpered. "I need a cake…"

"I don't think we have one left, sorry." Mole shook his head.

"O-Okay..." Sighing, Splendia walked out of the shop. Her heart skipped a beat when someone snatched her wrist.

"Frankie?"

"Why do you need a cake?" Frankie asked.

Splendia gawked at his glittering yellow eyes, automatically realizing he was in an abnormal state.

"Um…"

"Why?!" The boy tightened his grip. Splendia let out a groan in agony. She could have used her superpower against him but she didn't feel like doing so.

"B-Because…it's my birthday today…"

The night was cold and tranquil. They lingered in the park as dark shadows hovered above them. Splendia peeped at Frankie, whose eyes stared ahead blankly.

"Um…should we go home?" Splendia asked, feeling rather uncomfortable around Frankie's evil counterpart.

"How long have we been friends?"

"Huh?"

"I say, how long have we been friends?" Frankie glared at her fiercely which made her flinch. She knew he hated repeating his questions.

"Um…" Splendia thought for a moment before answering. "Six months…approximately?"

"And you don't think it's enough for you to tell me your birthday?"

Splendia looked at the ground and sighed.

"It's your birthday and you never told me about it? And you came to watch the match when you should be celebrating your birthday? How about your dad? You should have gone home instead of hanging around with us."

"He…er…" Splendia stuttered. "He doesn't like celebration…"

"What?"

"Be-Because…you see…my mom left me on my six-years-old birthday…and she never came back…" Splendia explained. "Dad was…so depressed…Every time I had a birthday party afterwards, it reminded him of how mom left us…It broke his heart. After a year or two, I decided to tell Dad that he didn't have to celebrate my birthday anymore. He could just give me a present because I didn't want to see him cry while singing a birthday song to me…Th-That's why I always eat birthday cakes on my own…"

Frankie looked at the girl before him in puzzlement. In a split second, his eyes changed back to jade-green.

"Frankie?" Splendia murmured, glancing up at him.

"Happy Birthday, Splendia." Frankie grinned.

"T-Thanks…" Splendia forced a smile but her eyes were brimming with tears. She didn't know why she was weeping. She should have got accustomed to the grief, after spending so many years of lonely birthdays. Still, one blessing from a dear friend she cherishes most was enough to touch her.

"Everyone deserves a birthday celebration, Splendia…" Frankie mumbled, gently taking her into his arms. Her sobbing grew louder as tears came pouring down her cheeks.

"I know Dad probably suffers a lot more than I do…Mom meant everything for him and every time he remembers this date, he's like being dragged back to hell…His world crumbled down when mom left him…He stopped being a hero as often as before…and I know I can't be selfish…I will just swallow the cake myself…"

"Do you always eat the cake alone?" Frankie asked. Sadly, Splendia nodded. She had, indeed, wished there was someone to share the cake with but for years, she had always been alone. She had no friends to celebrate her birthday. She had no one to eat a birthday cake with her. There was only her…and her birthday…and the song…

Frankie stared down at the wailing girl. It is ironic how incredible her power is and yet her heart is as fragile as can be. _Lonely. Friendless. Lost._ Being a superhero's daughter isn't at all an easy task. She was born bearing pride and honor, also grudge and solitude.

Frankie remembered his dad once told him. _"To be a hero is to be alone in this world. You can't trust anyone but your own powers. You wake up today and you realize you're the only one. Allies. Sidekicks. Friends. They're just delusions. You fight and survive for yourself. Just yourself."_

It is true though. A hero is a cursed being. The same time people are amazed by his power, they are terrified by it. Frankie's dad was changed, nonetheless, by his mom. A ferocious, merciless war hero used to be alone in the battlefield but he was tamed by an innocent, kind-hearted girl. The same thing happened to Splendid but the only difference was that his spouse left him. When he thought he had everything he needed in a state of bliss, his mate abandoned him because of his power. One could hardly imagine how crestfallen and hurt Splendid was. It was also a shame to know a superhero was dumped by a woman. How could you ask a man to live on confronting so many people's prejudice? Even the former thieves laughed at his inability to captivate his own woman. The curse was soon passed down to his daughter, Splendia. Growing up as an extraordinary being, she is constantly judged in the same way Splendid has been.

_A girl without a mother. An amateur superhero's child. A problematic, frightening girl who can't even control her power properly._

"Splendia…you don't have to eat the cake alone anymore…"

"Eh?" The girl pulled away from Frankie, her heart racing.

"Fannie, Snuggles and I will eat with you." He smiled and wiped off her tears.

* * *

"Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday to you~ Happy Birthday to Splendia~ Happy Birthday to you!"

The harmonious singing voice echoed in the classroom.

"Come on, make a wish, Splendia." Fannie nudged her.

"But it's already passed my formal date…"

"Oh does that matter?" Snuggles urged. "Go on!"

With her eyes closed and her fingers intertwined, Splendia babbled something softly under her breath. After five seconds, she opened her eyes again and blew the candles. Her friends cheered all at once.

"So, what's your wish?" Frankie smirked.

"Hey, if I tell you, it won't come true." Splendia pouted.

"Fine." Frankie lay back pretending he didn't care. The others laughed.

"Yo, guys, let's slice the cake!" Snuggles whistled.

"Yay~ Cakes! Hurrah!" Fannie butted in and picked up the knife.

"Here, Splendia." Frankie whispered and slipped a box into Splendia's hands. It was wrapped in beautiful, shining blue wrapping paper which matched with her hair color.

"Oh! I almost forgot! Here you go, Splendia!" Following Frankie, Snuggles and Fannie both handed their gifts to Splendia.

"Thank you…I can't tell how grateful I am…" Splendia hugged her birthday presents and cried.

"Silly girl." Fannie rolled her eyes. "There's nothing to cry about. It's your birthday and you shall be happy!"

"Exactly." Frankie placed his arm around Splendia's neck. The girl ducked from the unexpected touch. He leaned in so that he could whisper straight into her ears. "Remember, friends don't hide their birthdays from each other."

"Y-Yes…" Splendia blushed, her cheek feeling a puff of breath from Frankie.

"And friends comfort each other when they're sad. Be honest with me whenever you have any problems. Promise?"

"Promised." Splendia nodded.

"So, who wants the biggest slice?" Fannie announced.

"ME! ME! ME!" Snuggles bounced up and down like a starving bunny, striving to catch the biggest piece.

"No, you don't." Fannie pushed him away and placed the biggest slice of cake on Splendia's plate. "Our birthday girl deserves the best."

"Awww…" Snuggles pulled a face. "What about me?"

"I'll get the second largest. You get the smallest slice, wimp." Frankie snickered.

"Hey, who're you calling a wimp?"

Splendia watched as her friends started messing around and chasing each other.

It has been quite a while since someone threw a birthday party for her. She has always known she deserves better. And right now, she has got the best birthday ever.

* * *

**Ugh, so Fannie and Snuggles are dating now (how come? Don't ask me xD They hit on each other with the speed of light. Let's say, these two characters are more bold and expressive. They basically started going out after chapter 2.)**

**As for Frankie and Splendia...ermmm, wait, hold on a second, they have known each other for 6 months now but they are still just friends? Compared to Fannie and Snuggles, who have only known each other for 2 weeks, darn, these two are just not being honest enough with each other...haha! I wonder if I should make one of them confess... *rub my chin thoughtfully***

**Don't forget to review if you're reading this -3- I hope the upcoming chapters will be more fluffy.**


	4. A Fearful Date

**Theme: **A Fearful Date

**Main characters: **Fannie, Snuggles, Flippy/Fliqpy

**Summary: **What can be worst than meeting your girlfriend's father? When Snuggles asks Fannie out on a date, they expect to spend a wondrous time with each other. Yet, as unlucky as it seems, the day they are planning to go out, Fannie's psychotic father accidentally flips out. Once he realizes his daughter is dating, he is determined to wipe Snuggles out in a flash.

* * *

**1.**

Fannie promenaded on the winded pavement, humming a song gleefully. Snuggles stole a brief glance at his girlfriend, who was looking exceptionally striking today. He grinned to himself, wondering what a state of bliss it was to be able to hold her hands. He always enjoyed her singing.

It seems that she was far too talented in music. He played guitar occasionally and Fannie liked the piano. Sometimes, when they didn't hang out in the library, they would sneak into the music room and picked up their favorite instruments. Fannie's sweet voice always had the immense power to melt someone's heart. Even at nights when he was asleep, her voice roamed his head. Every little whisper and laughter meant so precious to him. But on top of all, he cherished her the most. There was no way he would ever let go of her.

Fannie giggled when she felt Snuggles' hands tightened around hers.

It had become Snuggles' routine to blush constantly. It always amused Fannie to see someone get so shy over his lover. She, nonetheless, liked teasing him.

"F-Fannie…?" Snuggles stuttered, trying to gather the courage to say whatever he intended to deliver. He was actually trying to ask her out on a date. He had figured the most common places they had been dating each other were usually the library and the music room, which indeed sounded way too ordinary. Recently, he had decided to take her to somewhere else, possibly where they could have much more fun than just reading and singing. He wanted their relationships to leave traces of remarkable memories. And he was particularly scared that Fannie would ever get fed up with him one day because he was too dull and timid.

"Yes?" She peeked at him from the corner of her eyes and grinned. She could tell he was fidgeting, his face more aflame than ever. He kept staring ahead, his teeth clattering as he desperately attempted to organize his speech in his mind.

"Hey, just say what you want to say." Fannie snickered, nestling her head on his shoulder. This sudden act made the poor, wimpy boy jump in panic. He could feel his skin burning.

"Er…" Snuggles stammered, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly. "Fannie…I've been w-wondering…if there are places you wanna go….like it seems that we always have our date in the library…We never actually get to do anything outside school…"

"Oh?" Fannie cocked her brows curiously, leaning closer to Snuggles. His face was awfully red, almost as red as his glistening scarlet eyes. "What're you planning to do with me outside school then?"

The teasing came swift and cruel. It was sufficient to make Snuggles freak out. Fannie continued taunting him until he could no longer endure the rapid thumping of his heart.

"Ugh…I…I mean maybe we can do…something else…" Snuggles buried his face in his hands. Fannie had embarrassed him so much by clinging to him and wrapping her arms around his waist. He doubted if he might faint from this unexpected ecstasy.

"Like what?"

"Like…going to fun fair…having lunch….going to movies…" Snuggles said. He recoiled shyly when Fannie suddenly brushed her head against his chest.

"W-What…are you doing?" He stammered apprehensively, though enjoying every bit of their intimacy.

"I can hear your heart beating." Fannie said naively. "Well, aren't you getting too nervous around me?"

"Fannie! S-Stop teasing me already... I'm n-never gonna be able to s-say anything right…" Snuggles grunted. Fannie withdrew from him and laughed. She admitted she was toying with him too harshly. With such a forthright and innocent personality, Snuggles basically couldn't bear a minute of being mocked. His heart was too fragile to be sure.

And he looked as though he was going to explode in shame when Fannie kissed his cheek.

"Okay." Fannie chuckled, blowing into his ears. "Whatever you say."

"Pfft…" Snuggles shivered at Fannie's abrupt seduction, his cheeks turning fiery.

"So, I'll see you tomorrow then. At approximately ten, I guess?" Fannie said, stopping at the crossroads.

"To-Tomorrow?!" Snuggles widened his eyes.

"Yea, didn't you say you want to date me? Tomorrow is Sunday. Come and pick me up in the morning." Fannie smirked. "I'll be at home waiting."

"B-But…I haven't…"

"You don't need to schedule anything." Fannie said. "For God's sake, we'll just hang out whenever and wherever we want to. Isn't it much better this way?"

"I…I guess…"

"Well then, see ya." Fannie gave him a kiss on the lips and trotted away merrily.

Snuggles could only watch her disappear gradually from his sight, his heart still jumping manically.

_He is, by all means, falling deeper and deeper in love with her._

**2.**

Fannie flung open the door and whistled. Hearing the shrill noise, Flippy automatically looked up from his newspapers. Flaky popped out from the kitchen with a somber, irritated look. "F-Fannie, h-how many times have I told not to open the door so violently…One of these days, you're gonna yank out the knob and break the hinge…."

"Meh, I'm sorry, okay?" Fannie said, still smiling. "Mom, you don't have to always scold me."

"Yea, it's always good to see someone getting energetic." Flippy butted in.

"W-Watch y-your manners, Fannie." Flaky sighed. "A girl has to be meek."

"That's a stereotype, right, Dad?" Fannie flashed Flippy a funny look. Flippy raised his brows. He was about to say something when he caught his wife pouting and glaring at him with a sulking face. He gulped and decided not to meddle in this affair anymore. He knew he wouldn't be able to kiss Flaky if he made her angry.

"Um…I had better go back to reading my papers." Flippy said. Flaky sniggered triumphantly.

"Ugh, Dad, you're always standing on Mom's side." Fannie complained, crossing her arms with dissatisfaction.

"W-What? I always agree with most of the things you say…" Flippy argued. "Well, _most_."

"Yea, but only in the beginning. And then whenever you see Mom sulk, you'll go back to defending her."

"That's because you're upsetting your mom." Flippy said. Flaky nodded her head in agreement.

"Errr…" Fannie rolled her eyes, giving up the talk. She carried her bag and headed towards the stairs.

"Speaking of which, why are you so happy today?" Flippy asked.

"Nothing special." Fannie tittered.

"Well, Fannie, I-I'll be visiting granny to-tomorrow and Frankie will be having his football match…" Flaky said. "So…it's only you and Dad on Sunday. I su-suppose you two can manage on your own, right?"

"Sure, why not?" Flippy smiled. "I've already planned for something fun."

"Um…sorry but I'll be out tomorrow." Fannie interrupted. Her parents both stared at her inquisitively.

"Oh? You usually lock herself up on Sundays." Flaky said.

"I'm having a date with Snuggles." Fannie boasted.

"Poor boy." Flaky shook her head, feigning a sympathetic expression.

"Hey, what do you mean by that, Mom?" Fannie grumbled.

"Wow…that's totally unpredicted." Flippy sneered. "Thought you two won't get any further than holding hands in the library!"

At once, Fannie blushed. She couldn't believe her own parents were teasing her. She snorted with annoyance. "Dad, it's mean to stalk people in the library! And Mom! He's the luckiest boy to have me as his girlfriend!"

"Yea, right." Flaky laughed and went back to her cooking.

"Well, have fun, sweetheart." Flippy smiled and winked at his daughter.

**3.**

Briskly, Fannie leapt out of bed and stretched her arms. Her lips curved into a big smile. She had been looking forward to the weekend, so enthusiastically that she even dreamed about it. In fact, she was originally the one planning to invite Snuggles out for a date. And she was stunned when he actually turned out to be the one taking the initiative. After brushing her teeth and combing her beautiful green hair, Fannie dashed downstairs. She simply couldn't spare a second to waste. Even though it was only nine o'clock and she had got plenty of time to gobble down her breakfast, she still wanted to spend time on picking out the best outfit. When she reached the living room while singing a song to herself, she froze at what she saw.

A figure in cameo jacket slowly turned his body to face Fannie. A crooked, eerie grin crawled over his face as he spotted her. Fannie staggered backwards in shock, her heart racing. She couldn't believe she was that unfortunate. It was not her first time to meet him but still it sent chills down her spine. The man stood up and squinted his eyes. His sickening, yellowish eyes sparkled in the most intimidating manner. He twirled his combat knife and approached Fannie.

Fannie almost tripped over the stairs. She should have known something was wrong when her father hadn't come to wake her up in the morning. The house was exceptionally tranquil and creepy. She puffed, trying her best to swallow her fear but to no avail. Fliqpy stopped right in front of her, still messing around with the handle of his knife.

"Well?" He tilted his head slightly to one side. "Aren't you supposed to greet your dad first thing in the morning?" He bent down and whispered to her ears. Fannie trembled and flinched.

"G-Good morning….Fliqpy…" Fannie sputtered, her hands shaking.

She never addressed Fliqpy directly as _'Dad'_ because she always wanted to make a distinction between her father and his evil counterpart. To her, they were two entirely different persons. Fliqpy was merely a psychotic intruder, an unwanted split personality of her gallant father. Despite the fact that she never called him _'Dad'_, the fierce man didn't seem too bothered by it.

"Well, lovely day, isn't it?" Fliqpy chortled. "No one else is at home. I guess we can have some father-and-daughter fun, eh?"

Fannie cringed and gawked at him. She wondered how her dad had flipped out. Things were totally not going well, as she reckoned. She took a deep breath and asked. "Um…what's happened?"

"You mean why I am here?" Fliqpy, as sensitive as he was, immediately caught the hint Fannie was implying. Fannie bit her lips anxiously. "Er…yes."

"So, you don't want me here with you?" Fliqpy frowned. Fannie knew the best not to infuriate Fliqpy. Although he had never really killed her, she was so not going to risk it.

"No! I don't mean that." Fannie denied instantly.

"Some fool got drunk and crashed his car into our backyard." Fliqpy said, flopping back on the couch.

Fannie rushed to the window and looked outside. Sure enough, the fence in their backyard was crushed and there was a blue dented car. Blood splattered everywhere, filling the place with a nauseating aura. She nearly vomited when she caught sight of a hideous skull lying across the garden. The corpse belonged to the town's biggest idiot, Lumpy.

"Oh my god, what did you do to him?" Fannie interrogated.

"Well, shouldn't you talk to me like that?" Fliqpy said.

"S-Sorry…" Fannie apologized immediately, still being cautious not to provoke Fliqpy.

"Eat your breakfast." He beckoned to her. "Your mom cooked it before she left home this morning."

"O-Okay…"

Reluctantly, Fannie took a seat around the table. Fliqpy watched her devour her breakfast. All the time, the poor girl felt as though she was going to have a heart attack. She had never felt so frightened in all her life, probably because in the past whenever Flippy flipped out, Flaky and Frankie were always present. This time though, there was only her, alone with Fliqpy. She began to suspect if she was ever going to survive. Gingerly, she picked up the spoon and ate her cornflakes. She felt Fliqpy's glance over her and dared not perk up. She never fancied those threatening yellow eyes. They made her quiver even more.

Swiftly, she finished her meal and stood up.

"Er…Fliqpy…I think I'll go out for a moment." She said, hoping he would show approval. She studied his solemn expression, immediately realizing she had said the wrong thing.

"Are you avoiding me?" He asked.

"No!" Fannie yapped, panicking. "I just…I…I jsut have to hang out with some friend…That's why…"

"Well then, don't go." Fliqpy said nonchalantly.

"Why?" Fannie said, nearly bursting into tears.

"Because." Fliqpy leaned forwards and cupped her chins. "I want to spend time with my daughter."

"B-But…"

"Am I asking too much?" Fliqpy murmured gruffly.

Fannie peeked at the clock. It was almost ten. If she didn't ring Snuggles fast, he would be on the porch in any second. And if he arrived and Fliqpy saw him, the boy would absolutely stand no chance.

"O-Okay, but I'll just have to make a call." Fannie said, grabbing the telephone. "I'll need to tell my friend to cancel today's activities."

She dialed Snuggles' number as quickly as she could. She tapped the table impatiently, wishing more than anything else that Snuggles would answer her call promptly. Yet, to her terror, the door bell rang. Reflexively, Fliqpy spun around.

"No!" Fannie shrieked, clutching Fliqpy's arms. "I…I'll go open the door."

Fliqpy didn't say a thing. Hastily, Fannie darted towards the door and opened it. As expected, Snuggles turned up at ten sharp. The girl began to hyperventilate, making all sorts of grimaces to indicate something was wrong. Nonetheless, Snuggles greeted. "Hello, Fannie."

Once Fliqpy heard the boy's voice, his ears twitched.

"Fannie, who's at the door?" He shouted from inside the house.

"Snuggles!" Fannie whispered, her face turning colourless. "Quick, run! Run now!"

"W-What?" Snuggles blinked at Fannie in confusion.

"I say, run…"

Before Fannie could utter another word, Fliqpy booted open the door forcefully and glared down at Snuggles. The boy's mouth gaped open when he saw the war veteran.

"Aw…your friend, huh?" Fliqpy smirked, eyeing Fannie.

"P-Please, Fliqpy, he's just stopping by." Fannie said, standing between the two males to keep Snuggles behind her. "He's leaving now."

"Is that your dad?" Snuggles, still oblivious to Flippy's changes, asked.

"Sh…" Fannie shushed him and shot him a warning signal.

"Yes, I'm her dad. Who the heck are you?!" Fliqpy stepped out and snatched Snuggles' collar.

"Fliqpy!" Fannie screeched, trying to separate Fliqpy from Snuggles.

"Hmm…" The boy eventually realized something was wrong. The man in front of him was not his girlfriend's father. He began to shudder. No speech came out of his mouth though. Instead, he could only stare at Fliqpy in horror.

"Please! Fliqpy, stop it!" Fannie pushed Fliqpy. "He's my friend. You can't kill him! Or you'll have to kill me first!"

Fliqpy raised his brows, amazed by his daughter's sudden outburst. She held up both her arms to form a barrier between him and Snuggles.

"Ah ha, a friend of yours." Fliqpy sneered. "Why don't you introduce him to me? Come on in. Both of you."

Fannie scowled. She looked over her shoulder. Dumbstruck, Snuggles tried hard not to squeal. She wasn't sure what Fliqpy was getting at. She was almost certain that he was having something in store for Snuggles.

"No…" Fannie shook her head and whispered very softly to Snuggles. "Go home now."

"FANNIE?!" Fliqpy raised his voice, gripping her elbow firmly. "I don't suppose it's a very wise choice to disobey your dad. Don't you remember what your mom told you about being a meek girl?"

"Ugh…" Fannie shot Snuggles one last gloomy look before both of them got dragged into the house. Fliqpy slammed the door violently and latched it. He tossed Fannie to the ground and pinned Snuggles to the wall. The boy cried in agony.

"No!" Fannie screamed, clasping Fliqpy's jacket only to be shoved away. "Behave, Fannie! I'm just getting acquainted with your so-called friend."

"Please…" Fannie wailed. "Don't hurt him…"

"Now tell me, kid, what's your name?" Fliqpy traced the blade of his knife around Snuggles' neck. The boy dodged and whined. "S-S-Snuggles…Snuggles...Rabbits..."

"Ah, what an odd name." Fliqpy commented. "I bet all you can do is to snuggle up and cry for mama, huh?"

Snuggles clenched his teeth as tears streamed down his cheeks. Fear began to suffocate him. Fliqpy had one hand around his neck, almost lifting up the boy callously.

"Stop whimpering. Damn it, are you going to pee yourself or what?" Fliqpy snarled. "Talk! What kind of relationships do you have with Fannie? Why are you showing up at our house? Eh?"

"Quit it, Fliqpy!" Fannie bawled, hugging Fliqpy's legs. The solider ignored his daughter's pleas and continued to glower at the boy.

"SAY SOMETHING!"

"I…I…" Snuggles gagged as Fliqpy tightened his grip around his neck, nearly strangling him. "I…I'm Fannie's boyfriend….W-We're g-going out for…a date…."

Fliqpy released Snuggles. The boy collapsed to the ground panting. Fannie rushed to help him up.

"You're dating?" Fliqpy frowned, taking a step back.

"Y-Yes…" Fannie muttered, embracing Snuggles tightly.

"Sorry, honey, but I don't think a girl of your age should date." Fliqpy said. In a split second, he grasped chucks of Snuggles' hair and hauled him up from the floor. Fannie squawked, trying to hold Fliqpy back. The soldier aimed his weapon at Snuggles' heart but before he could stab him, Fannie managed to slip in between the two. She had Snuggles in her arms and her back facing Fliqpy. The man ceased his attack at once, not wishing to lodge the knife into his daughter's spine.

"STOP IT!" Fannie bellowed. "I'm not letting you hurt him."

"Fannie, step aside." Fliqpy warned. "I'm going to teach this boy a lesson for flirting with you."

"What? Why? Do you even have the right to say that?" Fannie retorted, her face flaming red with anger. She had had enough of Fliqpy's evil deeds. She couldn't allow him to have his way all the time. If he was planning to charge at Snuggles, he would have to murder her first.

"He's my boyfriend, so? It doesn't give you the right reason to kill him just because he's dating me! I'm a free being! I do whatever I want with my life!" Fannie shouted. "You're being ridiculous, brutal and heartless! I can never imagine why Mom loves and tolerates you! She should just throw you out of this house! If you kill Snuggles, I will never forgive you! SCREW YOU! SCREW YOU!"

Fannie gasped, not believing she had blurted out those reckless criticisms without hesitation. Fliqpy stared at his daughter in bewilderment. Every single disrespectful word penetrated his wretched mind. He gritted his teeth in fury and lifted the knife. Fannie shut her eyes and prepared for her doom. She had only herself to blame though. Any man who ever heard something like that from his daughter would surely want to smack her face.

Yet, her death never came. Snuggles switched positions with her and attempted to take the strike. Fliqpy didn't actually attack him because he dropped his knife a second before the blade reached Snuggles' face.

Snuggles was tearing up but he shouted at the top of his lungs. "Sir, I know you want to kill me. If so, go on! But Fannie is your daughter. You should never kill her!"

Those words hit Fliqpy hard and completely smoldered his anger. He halted his vengeance and strayed away from the two kids. He couldn't believe he had tried to slaughter his own daughter, which he didn't intend to do in the first place. If he lost control, he would probably regret it afterwards, just like how he used to cry over his wife's death after hysterically killing her.

Fliqpy was shaken, but somehow relieved that he hadn't done anything unpardonable. He slumped back onto his chair speechlessly.

After a long moment of sheer silence, Fannie got back up onto her feet and stood close to Snuggles.

"S-Sorry…Dad, I didn't mean to…shout at you." She said tremulously.

As for Fliqpy, he was caught in the word _'Dad'_. Fannie had never once called him _'Dad'_. He couldn't describe this weird feeling in his heart. It was like one of those times when Flaky's heartbreaking shriek snapped him out of his insanity. When Fannie pronounced that particular word, it somehow got into his heart. He felt ashamed and remorseful to have acted so ruthless towards her.

"Dad…?" Warily, Fannie walked towards her father. She placed her palm on his. Fliqpy stared at the ground grimly, still carried away by the way she had just called him. Slowly, his twisted expression eased off a little. He let out a sigh.

"You can have your date." He announced. "But on one condition."

The two youngsters exchanged a glance. Snuggles wiped off his tears and shrugged. Fannie looked back at her father in surprise.

"Um…what's it?" Fannie asked fretfully.

"I'm coming with you two."

**4.**

Fannie peeped at Snuggles silently. The boy returned her glance with a fearful expression. The two youngsters lumbered along the street, closely followed by the war veteran. Every now and then, Fannie could hear her heart thump. It was already horrendous enough to meet her father's evil counterpart. To make matters worse, he decided to tag along with her and Snuggles. _Right on their date!_

As for the poor blond, all the time he was trudging down the road, he kept shuddering as though the soldier would rip him apart any time. He felt Fliqpy's solemn, ominous stares all over his back. He wondered how long he could hold on until he broke down again. Yet, he bore in mind that he must be brave. He had heard that the psychotic sergeant was obsessed with people's screams. If he wailed, he would just piss him off even more.

Fannie noticed Snuggles' psychological breakdown. She felt awful when she saw the boy bit his lips repeatedly until a trace of blood stained his mouth. He was fidgeting so badly that he stumbled in his walk. She couldn't comprehend why things had turned out this bad. He was, after all, just trying to please her by inviting her out for a date. Good heavens, who knows they would end up getting more than what they had initially bargained for. Fannie scooted closer to Snuggles in an attempt to reassure him a little but her approach was cut off promptly by her father. Just right before she reached out her right hand towards Snuggles, Fliqpy marched in between them and separated the two. The girl growled and blinked at her father in astonishment. Needless to say, now with the war veteran standing right next to him, Snuggles nearly zonked out in fright. Fliqpy smirked and continued acting as the barrier between the two lovebirds. Fannie realized he enjoyed taunting them, especially torturing Snuggles by filling him with ever so much angst and terror. If Fliqpy didn't kill someone, he usually scared the hell out of them, causing them to pass out on their own.

"Um…Fliqpy? Do you mind…"

"Yes, I do."

Fannie dropped her jaws. She couldn't believe Fliqpy didn't even offer her a chance to say anything. A crooked grin emerged on his face as he glanced down at his daughter. The girl sighed. She looked over her shoulder and checked on Snuggles, who merely shot her a pathetic, feeble stare. It was as if he was secretly calling for help.

"So, is this what your date is supposed to be?" Fliqpy asked in his hoarse voice, eyeing the two teenagers indifferently. "Just walking in the street?"

"Fliqpy!" Fannie snarled.

"You." Fliqpy turned to glare at Snuggles, who blenched fretfully. "You planned for the date, didn't you? Tell me what you've got."

"I…er…" Snuggles stuttered, eventually slipping his hands into his pockets and pulling out a piece of folded paper.

"What? You made a list of it?" Fannie widened her eyes and whispered.

"Yes…" Snuggles faked a smile and unfolded the paper.

"Give me that." Before the boy could read out his scribbled writing, Fliqpy snatched the sheet from him. The soldier scanned through the paper and cocked his brows. Fannie, seizing the opportunity, loomed closer to Snuggles.

"This." Fliqpy commented, crumpling the paper at once. "is totally rubbish."

His words struck Snuggles hard. The boy panicked so much that he almost burst into tears.

"Fliqpy! Please!" Fannie snapped, no longer able to take any more of Fliqpy's insults. "This is our date. We'll do what we've planned."

Fliqpy gazed at his daughter expressionlessly and crossed his arms. Casually, he tossed the crumpled paper to the ground. "Seriously, sweetheart, this guy is no fun at all. I'm sure you don't wanna engage in those activities on the list."

"Stop it, Fliqpy." Fannie retorted and clung to Snuggles stubbornly. "We ain't like you. We don't kill for fun!"

"Ugh." Fliqpy rolled his eyes. Swiftly, he clutched Fannie's elbow and dragged her away from her boyfriend. "Alright, if you insist."

"What did you write?" Fannie muttered to Snuggles.

"Let me tell you." Fliqpy butted in. "He wrote, lunch, movies, fun fair, buffet, nothing else."

"Oh…" Fannie giggled. "That sounds fabulous."

"How can you lie like that?" Fliqpy said. "This boy is so freaking gay."

"I…I'm not gay." Snuggles asserted. Both Fliqpy and Fannie turned to gape at him, surprised that he was standing up for himself once.

"You're gay." Fliqpy reiterated.

"Ugh, quit humiliating Snuggles, will ya?!" Fannie complained. "We'll do everything Snuggles has put down on the list. Now, lunch first."

"Great. A restaurant full of people." Fliqpy snickered manically, growing impatient for his killing spree. "That's all I need for lunch."

Snuggles shivered, almost tripping. Fannie slunk behind and comforted him. "It's okay. Just shut your eyes and don't look."

"B-But…"

"Excuse me. Do I need to say it again that you two should stand at least a meter away from each other?" Fliqpy shoved Snuggles away from Fannie. "Or you want me to keep doing this for you?"

"S-Sorry…Sir…" Snuggles fumbled and got back up onto his feet, rubbing his slightly aching bottom which hit the ground when the soldier pushed him violently.

"Now, time for games." Fliqpy narrowed his eyes and unsheathed his knife, staring in anticipation at the crowded diner. Within seconds, he stormed into the restaurant and began his lunatic rampage. Shrill screeches and earsplitting roars immediately stemmed out from the diner. Fannie and Snuggles watched in horror as Fliqpy proceeded to skin people, burn them on the cooking stove, chop off their heads, slice their throats, strangle them with ropes, shoot them with hand guns, mutilate them and…torment them in every possible inhuman way. Fannie shrieked when she saw her father lodging a dagger into Petunia's heart, plugging it out forcefully and then cramming it back into her chest. The restaurant was completely drenched in blood. Mangled gory mess covered everywhere. As the frenzied murder ceased, the place returned to serenity at once. Fannie wanted desperately to hug Snuggles but she feared once Fliqpy spotted them embracing, he might slaughter them as well.

After a second or two, the soldier walked out triumphantly, merrily licking off the blood on his blade, sucking his bloody fingers and grinning frantically at the two petrified teens.

"Well? What're you two waiting for?" Fliqpy gestured to Fannie and Snuggles. "Time for some feast!"

Fannie choked when she entered the nauseating place. Every step she took, she felt like treading on flesh. It disgusted her to a point that she considered trotting right away. But then, she knew if she did so, she would leave Snuggles behind and that was totally not what she wanted. Snuggles, with his face twisted in anguish, strode behind his girlfriend in trepidation. His stomach churned continuously, the acid almost bubbling up in his oesophagus. He couldn't imagine anything more uncanny than this. He could have vomited and fainted.

"Come here." Fliqpy settled down in one corner, tapping the table keenly. The two juveniles exchanged a grimace and headed towards the soldier, obediently taking their seats.

"You." Fliqpy pointed at Snuggles. "Sit here." He ordered Snuggles to sit on one chair which was clearly farther away from Fannie's. He didn't permit them to sit together.

"O-Okay…" Snuggles complied reluctantly, keeping in mind that he must do whatever he was told to.

Fliqpy then moved on into the kitchen, probably grabbing everything he could find. In the meantime, Fannie and Snuggles could only wait in silence. Fannie looked at Snuggles anxiously, studying every single expression on his face. He wasn't acting as scared as before but he was still wagging his fingers nonstop. He kept his eyes fixated on the table and his mouth zipped. All at once, Fannie felt guilty of having involved him in all this madness. The boy must been confronting the greatest fear in his life, taking into account that he had never witnessed anything so similarly dreadful. He had never met Fliqpy before so he basically didn't realize how callous and brutal the man could be.

"I'm sorry, Snuggles." Fannie apologized, touching his hand slightly. The boy flinched a little and looked up at his girlfriend with a faint smile. "I'm okay."

He felt like tearing up but he couldn't let those tears flow out of his eyes. He had to, as he kept reminding himself, to be brave. That was what Flippy had taught him. If he could conquer his imperfections and fear, he would possess the necessary courage to protect the one he loved. He couldn't freak out no matter what because it would only make Fannie suffer more. He had to stay by her side. He couldn't flee like a coward. He couldn't be a wimp like he used to be anymore.

"It's not okay." Fannie croaked. "I didn't know it would become like this…I…"

"It's alright, Fannie." Snuggles placed his finger on Fannie's lips. "I'm fine, as long as you are."

Fannie gasped as tears started stinging her eyes. She wasn't crying out of fear but because of the love Snuggles was showing her. She had thought that he would indisputably cast the blame on her, or even worse, decide to dump her right after this. Yet, he smiled. He smiled a smile ever so tolerant, warm-hearted and sweet. He didn't even shed a tear despite being threatened. _Why…_she asked herself. She didn't really deserve someone as good as him.

Fliqpy stomped out of the kitchen with numerous plates. Fannie's eyes almost bulged when she saw how much food Fliqpy was carrying towards them. They seemed to be having a free buffet.

"Fannie, I'm not sure what you like." Fliqpy sat down next to her. "So, I guess you must find something you like out of these."

Snuggles pressed his lips together as he stared blankly at the meal. He could only exclaim in his mind how marvelous it was. He had never ordered so many things. It's like all the choices in the menus were lain in front of him. He could just guzzle down every one of his favorite dishes.

"That is." Fliqpy said, palms on his chin. "If you want to date economically, you might as well get yourself some free lunch. This is the tips, sissy boy. You hear me?"

"Y-Yes, sir…" Snuggles ogled Fliqpy and nodded.

"Fliqpy, this is just…." Fannie sighed. "Way too much."

"What?" Fliqpy took a glimpse of his daughter. "You don't like it? Or you want me to feed you something else? Like those corpses lying in the corner."

"No!" Fannie shook her head immediately. "It's good. It's okay this way. Thanks, Dad."

With that, the two began to gorge on their meal. It was a moment later that they noticed Fliqpy wasn't actually eating with them. Fannie looked worriedly at her father and asked. "Um…Fliqpy? Aren't you eating?"

"No." Fliqpy sneered, his yellowish eyes shimmering with pleasure. "Just by looking at these dead bodies fuels me with energy. Damn, I wish there were more people here."

"Er….okay." Fannie shrugged.

Snuggles gawked at Fliqpy, unexpectedly stunned by his behavior. It might be invisible but the boy could see from such angle the interactions between the father and the daughter. They weren't compatible in many terms but they…somehow managed to get along. Well, to certain extent only. Fannie was obviously enduring her father's evil half but at the same time couldn't resist taking what he had offered her. The father was coldblooded but at least he didn't go as far as to kill his own daughter.

"I think…" Fannie hated to say this but she really needed to go to the loo. She wouldn't want to leave Snuggles with her father. Yet, it couldn't be helped. "Excuse me."

Fannie moved away from the table and headed towards the corridor. Snuggles, lost in words, wondered if he should also excuse himself. Being left alone with the soldier was clearly not the wise choice. He could have…

"So, Cuddles and Giggles are your parents, huh?" Fliqpy asked. His raspy voice startled Snuggles. The boy turned to face the man in shock.

"Y-Yes…how did you…"

"You've got his hair and her eyes." Fliqpy answered swiftly.

"I…see…" Snuggles nodded shyly.

"Maybe I should pay a visit to your parents." Fliqpy scoffed.

The boy widened his eyes. "No, please…don't kill them." He pled instantly.

"Darn, you're really feeling scared now, aren't you?" Fliqpy went on, leaning much closer to Snuggles, nearly giving the blonde a heart attack. "You really look like you're going to pee your pants. Mommy's little boy."

"I…I'm not mommy's little boy!" Snuggles defended himself and pouted. Fliqpy laughed, spinning the handle of his combat knife. "Wanna play a game with me, boy?" He pressed the tip of his knife on Snuggles' cheeks. "Let's see how long you can stay still like this. One move and it's going to cut through your face. Beautiful, fine features you have there. What if I leave a scar on that girlish face of yours? Must make you look more manly, I suppose?"

Snuggles trembled and clenched his eyes. He felt the cold blade coming into contact with his porcelain skin. He didn't mind being abused this way but he wished Fliqpy would end it fast. He hated being tortured bit by bit. He would have demanded a fast, painless death. Indeed, the soldier would never grant him that wish. He enjoyed inflicting pain on people. He enjoyed seeing them beg and squirm, lament and struggle, give in and confront their doom.

"Well, say something." Fliqpy urged. "Come on, scream. I like hearing you scream. You scream pretty much like a girl. Your voice hasn't been broken yet, right? Are you in the choir or something? Your dad seems to be a member. I remembered slicing his throat making him lose his sweet voice, haha!"

Sickened by the jokes, Snuggles ducked. The knife stabbed into his skin. He blurted out a moan as crimson liquid squirted out of his white face, forming an explicit visual contrast. Fliqpy smiled, amazed by the beautiful sight of blood of his daughter's boyfriend.

"Told you not to move, didn't I?" Fliqpy chuckled. "Cry, boy. Just cry."

"N-No…I won't." Snuggles said firmly, the blade plunging deeper into his cheeks. More blood gushed out. He panted in agony but refused to give in. He wouldn't scream or cry. He wouldn't abide by the soldier's revolting trick. He had…again, to be brave.

"Fliqpy! What're you doing?!" Fannie bawled, darting towards the two males. "Damn it! You promised you wouldn't…"

"Honey, I promised not to kill him." Fliqpy clarified, retrieving his knife and moving back to his own seat. "I didn't promise not to hurt him."

"Why…you…" Fannie sobbed, taking out a handkerchief and gently wiping off the blood on Snuggles' face. The boy cringed in twinge but still, no whimper escaped his mouth.

"He's no fun at all." Fliqpy snorted. "He didn't even scream."

"Enough of your games, Fliqpy!" Fannie growled. "Please, if you want to play those silly games of yours, play with me! Don't you do it to Snuggles!"

"You're defending him and turning against me, huh?" Fliqpy roared, crossing his legs fiercely. "What makes you so sure that he's worth all your effort in shielding him? You two aren't even old enough to understand what love means. It's not like those fluffy games you play. Don't you forget that."

"I know what we're doing at least." Fannie argued. "We're young but we can still understand what love means. If love is all about killing and torturing someone, I don't think Mom should ever fall in love with you. It's just all wrong!"

"Well." Fliqpy slouched against his chair and snapped. "If she feels for me, she has to put up with what I do."

"And what you do is completely irrational!" Fannie howled. "You just keep on breaking her heart over and over again every time you kill her friends. Do you say you really love Mom?!"

"If I don't love her, we wouldn't have you here." Fliqpy said. "Just so you know, girl, love isn't some sort of sweet fantasy. True love burns in hell. It's all about pain, tolerance and death. Only until none of these keep you apart, you're truthfully qualified for loving someone."

"Fine!" Fannie held onto Snuggles tightly. The boy, speechlessly, hugged her back. "I'm not afraid of any of those things you've just mentioned. If I must die, I'm ready to die for Snuggles."

Fliqpy goggled at the young couple sternly, hardly convinced. "And this weakling?" He laughed. "It doesn't look like he can take this any longer."

"That's not true!" Suddenly, Snuggles bellowed, balling his hands into fists. "Sir, back in your house, I was ready to take your strike. You just didn't kill me. If you don't believe me, you can come charge at me now. You can doubt my bravery, but you cannot question my love for Fannie. I'm just as ready to sacrifice myself for her as anyone else would for their love. I don't see why you must be constantly challenging our relationship. For all I know, no matter what you do to me, I'll still love her. And I'll never blame anyone. Because I've always seen it coming when I first fell for her. I'll do as much as I'm capable of taking the pain and suffering in her place. This is all I can say!"

Snuggles gulped. He couldn't believe he had lashed out without even a slur in his speech. Fannie stared at him, thunderstruck. Those words captivated her too deeply. Such a genuine confession had never leaked out of Snuggles' mouth, not even when she was teasing him, luring him to utter some sweet words to her. He had always been shy and rather conservative. Never ever had he in his life declared his love so successfully in front of someone. He had, undoubtedly spoken the truth from the very bottom of his heart. He only wanted Fliqpy to realize that his affection for her wasn't as fragile as it seemed. He could have done better and he wasn't afraid to change for her, so long as they loved each other.

"Very well then." Fliqpy stood up and sniggered. "I'll watch both of you. With more blessings than I can ever afford. Haha."

With that, the young soldier pranced towards the door.

"So, kids, coming out or not?" Fliqpy grinned cunningly at Fannie and Snuggles. "What's it again? Ugh, movies time."

The two lovebirds looked at each other bitterly, immediately knowing their date must proceed.

**5.**

Fannie tottered quietly behind her father. Every once in a while, she would glimpse Snuggles to check on his bleeding cheek. It always stung her heart when she spotted that deeply-cut gash. Blood kept spurting out and whenever the boy moved any part of his face, his skin would start burning with searing pain. Snuggles had a hard time holding back his tears. He kept shifting his concentration to things other than the twinge caused by the lesion. When they finally arrived at the cinema, his blood had long smeared the collar of his shirt.

"Fliqpy! Can we at least get Snuggles a plaster or something?" Fannie asked in concern. "Please, his bleeding won't stop."

The cold-hearted man turned around and glared at the two teens unsympathetically.

"It's just a slight cut. Stop whimpering like a baby." Fliqpy grunted. "If he can't even take that little pain, I don't think he can even survive in this town."

"T-That's not true…" Snuggles said. "I've died many times before...and I always get resurrected."

"But-" Fannie frowned.

"I'll be alright." Snuggles assured, though he doubted it. For all he knew, he felt somewhat dizzy. He wouldn't perish but he might faint. He hated to admit it but he had always had a weak body since birth. Poor health. Poor structure. Poor immunity. He had lost count of how many times he had been hospitalized due to sickness and death. His natural inferiority must have in some way resulted in his wimpy streak. As a child, he remembered running in and out of the infirmary almost every day. But things seemed to have gotten better, well, just better, after he entered middle school. At least, his frequency of getting ill and passing out in gym declined. When he met Fannie, her presence never failed to fuel him with energy. His days got brighter with much more hope. There was a time he felt so determined to go back to school only to see her. The girl seemed oblivious to his tenacity but she could definitely feel his love. He was apparently straining himself to satisfy Fliqpy in his sadistic games. He basically took in all the humiliation and torture, just because the soldier was her father.

"Hold still there, Snuggles." Fannie said, gently wiping off his blood with some tissues. She was glad that the wound wasn't as serious as she had thought. It seemed to have started clotting. That would mean Snuggles wouldn't need to get stitched in the hospital afterwards.

"I said, I'm okay, Fannie." Snuggles smiled.

"But it can still get infected." The girl frowned, still seemingly annoyed by the fact that her lover's beautiful face was destroyed by her psychotic father.

"Ugh, Fannie! Stop pampering that gay kid." Fliqpy snarled, yanking Fannie by her hair. "Don't ever let me see you touch him again."

"Fliqpy! You're being ridiculous."

"Yes, I am." Fliqpy dismissed Fannie's argument instantly. He held up three movie tickets and smirked. "What do you say about this gory stuff? It sounds interesting."

"W-What?!" Fannie exclaimed as she saw the name of the film. "Fliqpy! We don't watch horror movies! And it's R-18. I don't think we can even get in!"

"Well, we'll just have to find some way to sneak you in." Fliqpy began to laugh frenziedly. Immediately catching his hint, Fannie realized her dad was planning for another rampage.

"Please, just, why won't you spare them? These people are innocent." Fannie wept.

"Darling, being innocent doesn't save you from hell." Fliqpy cooed, fondling her face tenderly. "I really haven't been out for this long in a while. Don't kill your dad's fun, okay?"

"O-Okay." Fannie sighed. What Fliqpy said was true though. Recently, he hadn't been around for more than ten minutes because Flippy would always snap himself back to sanity. It did look that Fliqpy was missing both his wife and his children. When he was out this morning, he couldn't feel happier. It was just a pity that both Flaky and Frankie weren't present. Still, he had his daughter to hang out with, except for the fact that her boyfriend had to tag along with them.

They settled down in the cinema. Fannie and Snuggles shut their eyes as Fliqpy started his killing. The pitiful screams and wails pierced their ears. They could hear blood spattering, bones being crunched, flesh being trampled on and limbs being tossed against the wall. It had become much like a routine. Whenever Fliqpy started slaughtering his prey, the two teens would clench their eyes and stay mute until everything was over. Then, they would slowly open their eyes preparing for the most revolting scene before them.

When the murder ceased, Fliqpy briskly slipped back into the row Fannie was sitting in. Surrounded by blood and corpses, the girl couldn't recall anything more terrifying. It was a complete torture for Snuggles. The poor boy couldn't even stand the tiniest bit of the horror film. When he wanted to close his eyes to avoid any bloody scene, Fiqpy would force him to stare at the screen.

"WATCH, boy. You can't be missing that wonderful part, can ya?" Fliqpy chuckled evilly, clasping Snuggles hair to lift up his head. He wouldn't permit him to shut his eyes, not even for a second.

"Please, Fliqpy, he'll faint from these!" Fannie yelped.

"Oh really?" The young soldier didn't give in. He ignored his daughter and continued afflicting the teenage boy.

At one point, Snuggles couldn't endure any more of the horror elements. He hobbled out of his seat and vomited in one corner.

"See, I told you!" Fannie scowled at her father and rushed out to comfort Snuggles.

"I'm so sorry, Snuggles…" She sniveled, rubbing his back and handing him a napkin.

"It's…f-fine…" The boy stuttered and threw up again. The mere sight of blood disgusted him. He felt awfully woozy but he had to remain conscious. If he blacked out, it would simply mean that Fliqpy had won his game. He would probably hate Snuggles even more. If he reckoned his daughter's mate had to be brave, then, Snuggles figured he had to do the same. _Nothing more. Nothing less._ He whispered in his own mind some encouragements to himself and strode back to the seat confidently. For the rest of the movie, he was able to take in as many disturbing graphic images as he could, without a single flinch or shriek. Fannie could tell he was struggling hard not to pass out but there was practically nothing she could do other than cradling his hand and supporting him all the way through. He had to know that she would always be there to confront all the misery with him. She would stay with him until the very end of suffering.

"Well, feeling braver?" Fliqpy teased as they walked out of the cinema.

"Hmm…" Snuggles gulped, his face twisted in angst. Seeing him tremble entertained the war veteran. He was, in fact, quite bemused that the young boy hadn't fainted before the movie finished.

"Enough, Fliqpy!" Fannie screeched, grabbing Snuggles' hand and pulling him closer to her side. "Snuggles has had enough of this. Can we take a break? Please?"

Fliqpy shrugged and looked up at the sky sleazily. "Sure, we might have some tea before going to the fair."

In an instant, Fannie's heart sank. She knew what to expect. The fun fair had to be crowded on Sunday and that would only mean one thing- Fliqpy would definitely go insane trying to murder everyone on spot.

"No! Please, Fliqpy." Fannie ran towards Fliqpy and knelt down in front of him. The soldier glanced at her in puzzlement. "What're you doing on the ground, Fannie?"

"Please, don't kill everyone in the fair! PLEASE!" Fannie begged. It was the only thing she could do. She had to talk some sense into Fliqpy at least once. She couldn't bear to see all residents being stabbed in front of her eyes.

"Why, get up, Fannie." Fliqpy said.

"No, unless you promise me not to kill everyone." Fannie insisted, tugging the end of Fliqpy's jacket.

"What a sweet thing you are. Just like your mom." Fliqpy laughed. He squatted down so that he was now facing his daughter. "If that's what you want, okay then, I won't kill everyone. I might spare one or two perhaps."

"No, fifty, please!" Fannie bargained.

"Twenty." Fliqpy said.

"How about thirty?"

"Nah, sweetheart, don't test your dad's temper." Fliqpy snickered, pinching Fannie's cheeks softly.

"Twenty-five then!" Fannie said. "Pleaseeeee, Dad?"

"Fine." The soldier pouted and stood up. "Twenty-five survivors. That's all I can offer."

"Thanks!" Fannie got back up onto her feet merrily and hugged her father. Finally, she was able to save some lives. Well, only some…

Once Fliqpy took out his knife, a number of people were evacuated from the fun fair. It didn't surprise Fannie that they had the entire place to themselves again. It wasn't really fun without the crowd but she did enjoy the time alone with Snuggles. She had never thought she could grab whatever she liked from the game booths without actually paying anything. It was wrong, indeed, but she couldn't help snatch one of her favorite teddy bears.

"Wow…this is like…we're owning this land." Snuggles said, rather amazed that they were the only living beings around.

"Yea, Dad likes it quiet." Fannie giggled. "To him, noise would only mean killing fun. Silence is bliss. And death is peace."

"Fannie, do you hate Fliqpy?"

Struck by Snuggles' abrupt question, Fannie ogled him with a stunned expression. She didn't see it coming. His words seemed to penetrate her heart though.

_Does she hate Fliqpy?_

_Does she?_

_He is her father nonetheless. No one can deny that fact. If he is a killer, she should have shared his genes as well. His misdeeds are what shape her life. As his daughter, she ought to be responsible for what he has done. Being a part of this cursed family, she is obliged to take the blame along with other members, especially her mentally unstable father and sentimental twin brother._

"I…don't know." In the end, all she could do was sigh. She loathed Fliqpy for what he had done to other people and for the fact that he had been endlessly demeaning and inflicting unnecessary pain on Snuggles. Yet, she couldn't bring herself to detest him fully. As far as she knew, everything he had done was intended for her. He had got her lunch, movie tickets and an entry to the fun fair. He had also kept his promise by letting twenty-five visitors escape unharmed. He could have said 'no' to all her pleas but he didn't. _Is it because she's his daughter? Or just because he has his soft side too?_ _Either way, the problem remains._ He did things in an absolutely wrong way. Even when he attempted to please her, he couldn't control his inner killing spirit. Such tragic truth convinced Fannie that she couldn't love Fliqpy despite not being able to abominate him. This man would always be Fliqpy, the serial killer, the psychopath, the crazy sergeant. He would always be different than Flippy, the honorable and kind-hearted father she truly loves.

"I understand that." Snuggles said, surprising Fannie even more.

"How?"

"I don't think I hate him either…" Snuggles said. "Because he's your father. And because…he seems lonely…"

Fannie widened her eyes. The word 'lonely' saddened her a bit. She had always heard from her mother that Fliqpy was constantly trapped in his own twisted mind. He hated solitude more than anything. But at the same time, he couldn't control himself and refrain from killing people. It appeared to him that only by hurting others earned him attention and comfort. The ability to murder someone kept him alive. It was the only way for him to keep reminding himself of his own existence. The thought of vanishing after Flippy had left the battlefield troubled him. Whenever he had the opportunity to get out and dominate his body, he would seize every chance to make the best of his presence.

"Fannie, this is for you." The girl almost jumped in panic when a pair of arms wrapped around her neck from behind. Holding in front of her was an enormous ice-cream cone. It was her favorite chocolate flavor.

"F-Fliqpy?!" Fannie perked up, meeting her father's glistening yellow orbs.

"I got it from the ice-cream truck." Fliqpy said, slipping the cone into Fannie's hands.

"You." He gazed at Snuggles and said. "I don't know what you like so you had better go get it yourself."

Seemingly shocked by Fliqpy's sudden kindness, Snuggles couldn't find the right way to respond. He could only nod and back away timidly.

"B-But why?" Fannie asked.

"Everyone needs a tea-time snack, right?" Fliqpy chuckled. "I remember how your mom used to have lots of time trying out different recipes. She bakes good cookies and cakes. But ever since you and Frankie and Fancy came along, she's hardly made any desserts."

"F-Fancy?" Snuggles blinked curiously at Fannie.

"She's my younger sister." Fannie said. "She's currently in a boarding school."

"Ugh, how I miss her." Fliqpy said. "Such a sweet violent meanie."

"Yea, that's why she got sent to a boarding school." Fannie added. "Is Fancy your favorite child?"

Fliqpy paused and gaped at Fannie. He didn't expect her to ask such an odd question. Sure enough, both Frankie and Fancy possessed their violent nature and shared a vicious trait. Still, Fannie was the only one that reminded him so much of Flaky. The way she stood up for herself and for Snuggles was something the soldier could never forget about. Her stubbornness, her softness and her big ruby eyes stood nearly identical to Flaky's. He hadn't been spending much time with his wife lately, to be honest. It was only through Fannie that he could get in touch with his beloved partner. In spite of the countless times he had broken her heart, she had still chosen to forgive him. It was just the same as Fannie's inability to despise him wholly.

"Nah, you are." Fliqpy chortled. "Why would you ask anyway. I like all of you equally to be frank."

"You're lying!" Fannie snorted and protested. "If I'm your favorite child, you shouldn't be going against me."

"Wow, who's now going against who?" Fliqpy crossed his arms. "Do you think I can let you date a jerk? Precisely because you're my favorite child, I don't want you to go hanging out with some piece of junk."

"Snuggles isn't a piece of junk!" Fannie defended.

"Fair enough. How about you go get me a drink? I wanna have a word with this sissy boy." Fliqpy sneered.

"No! You're going to hurt him, aren't you?" Fannie said, hugging Snuggles' arm tightly.

"I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"Don't you trust your own dad?"

"I-"

Fannie wanted to press on but she saw no point of quarreling with Fliqpy. He would always get his way. Neither one of them would make any concessions. That's probably what they had in common. _A persistent spirit._

"Fine! If you ever lay a finger on even one strand of Snuggles' hair while I'm away, I'm going to complain to Mom!" Fannie pinpointed. "She's never going to let you kiss her again."

"What?" The soldier gasped, hardly believing that his own daughter was threatening him. "This is outrageous!"

"Yes, it is." Fannie chuckled. "I learnt it from you, Dad."

"Phew, just leave and get me some drink already! I won't touch him, all right!" Fliqpy yapped. Triumphantly, Fannie scurried away and headed to the convenience store across the street.

"Damn you." Fliqpy cursed. "It's all because of you that she's acting like this."

"Sir, if you think Fannie is misbehaving, perhaps it's your parenting style that ought to be reflected on." Snuggles said.

"What?" Fliqpy glared at the boy incredulously. "You do have guts now, don't you?"

"S-Sorry." Immediately, Snuggles ducked, keeping his hands behind his back.

"Look, I have every good reason to kill you but I can't. Just because she's fond of you doesn't mean I accept you." Fliqpy bellowed and gripped Snuggles' collar. "You heard me? She's one of my most precious possessions. If you ever try anything on her, I'm going to wipe you out in a flash. Clear?"

"C-Crystal clear, sir…" Snuggles stammered, fluttering his eyes nervously.

"Good."

When Fannie returned from the store, she was surprised to see Fliqpy gone. Apprehensively, she ran towards her boyfriend who was standing inertly in front of a booth.

"Snuggles! Gosh, are you alright?" Fannie asked.

Slowly, the boy turned around and smiled. "Yes."

"Where's Fliqpy?"

"He's gone." Snuggles said. "He left in haste. And he's left these."

Snuggles pulled out something from his pockets and showed them to Fannie. The girl's eyes flickered at the two tickets he was holding.

It was the ticket to a local baseball match plus a free evening buffet.

It somehow stirred up some fragments of her memory.

In a split second, she remembered exactly how these tickets got by.

Seeing her petrified face, Snuggles started to grow worried. Smoothly, he leaned forwards and cuddled her. The girl remained quiet for a long moment before regaining her senses at once. Somewhere, at the very bottom of her heart, she was melting in guilt.

"Fannie, he said we should have a great time watching the match." Snuggles purred. "Do you wanna go?"

"Y-Yes…" Fannie mumbled. "Of course, I wanna go…"

**6.**

The door creaked open and Fannie stepped into the pitch-dark living room. Cautiously, she shut the door and tossed her handbag onto the couch. Flaky popped out from the corridor in her bath coat. "F-Fannie, is t-that you?"

"Yes, Mom." Fannie smiled. "I'm home."

"O-Oh…" Flaky went over to switch on the lights. "H-How's your day?"

Fannie laughed and stared at her mother. "W-What do you think?"

"Sorry, honey, it must be hard for you…" Flaky sighed and shook her head. "I shouldn't have gone to visit granny if only I knew your dad would have flipped out this morning."

"It's okay." Fannie said. "I did have a good time with Snuggles though. Where's Dad?"

"He's in the bedroom." Flaky said. "And please, F-Fannie, d-don't be mad at him. He didn't mean to hurt you and S-Snuggles…He's now really depressed about having ruined your date."

"Mom, I'm not mad at Dad. I won't be." Fannie said and darted upstairs.

"F-Fannie?" Flippy looked up at his daughter as she barged into the room eagerly.

"Hi, Dad!" Fannie giggled and bounced onto her father's lap.

"I'm so sorry, Fannie. I've let him out for too long." Flippy said bitterly. "I can't believe he's tried to kill your boyfriend."

"Well, he didn't kill Snuggles." Fannie said. "Dad, I need to apologize to you."

"Why?"

"Because…" Fannie trailed off, fiddling with her fingers sheepishly.

"What?"

"I kinda forgot about our own date." Fannie said. "Last week, I was only joking when I said I wanted to watch the baseball match. I didn't realize that you would actually get the tickets for me…You and I were supposed to hang out today, right? But I totally forgot about it and dated Snuggles instead. Are you angry at me, Dad?"

"Oh, Fannie, why would I be angry with you? You ought to be the one mad at me." Flippy said. "I've ruined your day."

"You haven't!" Fannie insisted. "I've had fun with Snuggles. Seriously, I have. And I'm touched that you remember everything I've said."

"Of course I do." Flippy grinned. "I'll always keep in mind whatever you say. Even if it's a joke, as long as it's something you like, I'll get it for you."

"You're spoiling her." Flaky butted in, standing at the door with a faint smile. "Too badly."

"Girls are meant to be spoiled, right?" Flippy laughed.

"I agree with this stereotype." Fannie tittered. "Mom is just jealous."

"Yea, right, just s-so you know, F-Fannie, Dad and F-Frankie might like to spoil you but your tricks d-don't work on me." Flaky said. "It's time for shower and bed, girl."

"Fine~" Merrily, Fannie leapt out of Flippy's lap and landed back onto the ground. "Thanks, Dad, for everything..."

"You're welcome, sweetie."

"Love you." The girl gave her father a hug before dancing out of the room.

"Well? D-Do you care to tell me how many people you've killed today?" Flaky asked, sneaking into the blanket begrudgingly.

"I-I don't know." Flippy said, planting a kiss on his wife's cheek.

"Pfft, we're gonna get a visit from the cops tomorrow." Flaky sulked. "Again!"

"Oh come on, you know they can't get Fliqpy. It's always Lumpy who's the sheriff anyway." Flippy tittered and tickled her wife.

"Ahh, stop it." Flaky laughed, trying her best suppress the laughs. "W-Why are you s-so happy anyway?"

"Because."

Flippy smiled and kissed Flaky again.

He didn't tell her the reason though.

**7.**

In his hazy memory, Flippy could see through Fliqpy's eyes.

_The psychotic soldier is standing behind his daughter with an ice-cream cone._

_The girl shrugs and says to her boyfriend._

_"I…don't know. I don't think I hate him. He'll always be my dad regardless of what he does."_

And those words kept swinging in the soldier's head till now.


End file.
